My Familiar
by Paige Brown
Summary: I was walking in the woods when it happened. I got stuck in a trap, a witch's trap, and couldn't get out. But then she came, the witch I mean. She promised to free me if I did one little thing for her, become her familiar. Now I'm stuck working for her.
1. The Witch's Trap

**This really isn't about vampires, but they are going to be part of my story. **

**Read and review**

**-Paige Brown  
**

* * *

**My Familiar**

**Ch 1 The Witch's Trap**

I sighed and put my textbook down for the fifth time this afternoon. I had been assigned to read a whole chapter by Monday, but I found history in particular to be a rather tiresome subject. I much rather liked science.

Physics, chemistry, biology, those were exciting subjects. I could study them and put that knowledge into action whereas with history all that information is practically useless, in my life at least. I understood the importance of learning history. Such facts could be used to predict future problems. For example with the knowledge of other wars it's possible to map out the results and actions of one in the present. I understood its usefulness, but still found the subject to be useless.

I turned away from my desk and surveyed my room. It held only four pieces of furniture. A bed was pushed up against the left side of the room, blanketed with thick comforters (it was rather drafty in my room especially now in the winter) and next to it stood a nightstand. Across the room parallel with my bed was a closet and next to that was a large and over stuffed bookcase. Adjacent to the bed was my desk.

I strolled over to the window next to the desk and peeked outside. A thin layer of snow, maybe an inch, hugged the ground. The sun was still out, which was just enough incentive for me to enjoy the outdoors. I packed my messenger bag with my cell phone, a sketchbook and some pastels. Then gathering my coat and other winter necessities I made my way out of the complex.

We lived in an apartment, my father and I that is. We had moved around a lot, it was part of his job. He was an artist and sought work wherever he could find good pay. For now we were living in Pennsylvania while he helped restore paintings in the Gaveno Museum. It was an okay state, lots of land and farms where I lived, but not to bad. The countryside was wonderful and I had inherited my father's talent, so I can assure you that I was never without inspiration.

I began to make my way to my secret little nook in the forest. My nook was a little bit aways a ten-minute walk out of the complex grounds, across a neighboring farmer's field and into the woods. I reached the edge of the woods with relative ease.

The sun was lowering in the sky casting shadows on the bare trees. I paid no attention to the shadows there would still be plenty of daylight left for me.

I set out on my familiar path stopping once to let down my light brown hair. My ears were cold and my hat did not do a sufficient enough job of keeping them warm. Luckily my hair was long enough to cover my ears. It went just below my chin.

In the winter I often kept it at a reasonable length for this purpose, but in the summer I always chopped it off again. I had no patience for styling hair and little care for fashion. I wore whatever felt comfortable, which unusually displeased the other students at whatever high school I was currently attending. But like I said it doesn't matter to me.

I put the now abandoned scrunchie around my wrist and carried on. I went on for a while in peaceable silence before coming to a halt again.

I wasn't alone.

How did I know this you ask? Well I didn't do anything cunning if that's what you're thinking. I didn't hear anyone, or sense another presence rather I saw, in plain sight, footsteps. I bent down and ungloved a hand and then placed my fingers into the imprint. I chuckled quietly to myself. What was I doing? I was no great hunter. I could not figure the age of the imprint by merely placing my fingers in it. What did I hope to find, body heat left behind?

I stood back up, regloved my hand and stepped to the side of the path. The plan was simple, follow the footsteps. Yes that was the plan until I became distracted by a buzzing sound. I could hear it distinctly in the silence of the forest. It was not an insect, or a bug or any other organism for that matter. It was much to cold for creatures of that size to be out. I stepped closer to the sound and tensed. It was the air. That's where the noise was coming from.

I could feel it now too. It felt like little things colliding with me and then bouncing off, pushing me back just a bit, like a particle accelerator. Two atoms set in different direction at high speeds only to collide with each other and break apart into subatomic particles. It felt like that. I tried to shake off the little particle attacks, but they only became stronger as I ventured further. The air around me had turned a light shade of grey-blue. How could this be?

It seemed now that the little particles were sticking to me. Were they attracted to me? A thin layer of the grey-blue air began to cover me. I could feel its weight and a slight tingly sensation.

I sneezed and tried to back away, but the air kept following me. What was happening? It surrounded me, thickening as seconds ticked on. This wasn't right I had to get it off.

Frantically I tried to brush it off. In a crazed fashion I raked my hands over my clothes with little success. It was so dark around me. I feared I would never get out. I needed to clear my mind, panicking has been known to cloud the mind. I opened my mouth to take a breath, but found I could do no such thing. Instead the tainted grey-blue air went down my throat. It had a metallic taste to it and went down smooth like hot tea.

I fell to my knees, hands still scratching at my skin and clothes. Only one clear thought entered my head. I was going to die.

"Stay still," said voice through the tainted air. My eyes were obstructed, but the voice was clearly feminine. A woman I thought, most likely older than me.

I attempted to yell help, but it came out as a strange gurgled sound.

"My name is Morena. I'll help you."

I strained to get up on my feet, but eventually managed.

"Impressive," the woman so named Morena murmured. I did not understand her comment, but waited for her to help all the same.

"Clear your mind," she commanded. "The substance you are cloaked in is quite strong, but it clings in layers. With your mind peel back a layer, just imagine it, picture it in your head."

I did and within seconds I could feel a portion of the tainted air leave me. I swallowed the air and then worked on the freeing myself. I peeled back two more layers and then found that I could go no further. I was still coated and the air around me buzzed with excitement. The attraction between the substance and I was undeniable. It would never leave me completely.

"Yes, its tricky like that," Morena mused. "You attract it so strongly. Some people are just like that."

She walked closer into my view. Steely grey eyes seemed to spark with curiosity as they peered into my own hazel ones. I was right about her being older. She looked to be in her mid to late twenties.

She was impossibly beautiful. She looked like a gypsy, but not so dark skinned. She was lightly tanned with perfectly behaved dark curls that fell past her shoulders.

Morena stood a good five inches taller than me placing her to be around five feet nine inches. She was tall for a woman and slender.

There was one strange thing about her though. The tainted air was not attracted to her at all. I shook my head hoping to clear it free of the substance. Needless to say it didn't help, in fact it seemed to make matters worse. The air began to attach to me at an alarming rate.

"Hmm, I should have warned you that that was just a temporary fix."

"Help," I managed to get out.

"Fine I'll help you, but I'll need something in return. A small price if you will."

The air grew thick around me as I thought. If I didn't get help I would surely die.

"Will you pay the price? Just give me your word and you'll be free of this."

I was desperate. "You have my word! You have it, now please help!"

She reached into her coat pocket and drew out a clear palm sized crystal. I saw her lips move, but could not make out her words. When she had finished I felt and saw the results of her actions. The tainted air made its way to the crystal turning it grey-blue.

I fell to my knees again and clutched at my stomach. Whatever I had swallowed was coming back up my throat.

"Hmm, that's new," she said commenting on substance leaving my throat.

"What are you?" I whispered gasping for air.

"I'm a witch."

I had always believed in the possibility of magic and witches, but not the witches you're thinking about. Wiccans, some call themselves witches, but I assumed that they didn't have special abilities. I nodded my head causing Morena to raise an eyebrow.

"You are different, but in a very benefiting way."

I shot her a puzzled look and stood up again. Just because she saved my life didn't mean I had to trust her.

"Let me explain. The grey-blue stuff that was covering you was raw energy from the earth, magic. Now that's what I use to cast spells, but a witch can only hold so much energy. For now I put it in the crystal, but I can't draw it away from the crystal freely. I need a familiar. Do you know what that is?"

"Like a black cat."

She sighed. "So stereotypical. A familiar is a living entity in which a witch can store large amounts of energy and draw from it freely to use at will. I was attempting to find another, for my other was much too weak. This raw energy that you so carelessly stumbled on was a trap for my future familiar. And I need a strong one. One that can hold much energy because I am powerful."

Her arrogant attitude was getting on my nerves.

"I'm sorry I ruined your trap. I didn't mean to break it."

She laughed. "You didn't break it. It did its job."

It did its job? What did that mean?

She stepped closer to me and held out her hand. "Now time to settle that little price. As I've already said I am in need of a new familiar and you just so happened to get stuck in my trap, a good indication that you could be one. I'm not in the habit of using humans as familiars, but one like you only comes around once in a while."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that you're to good to pass up love." As if sensing my fear she started to move her lips (a silent spell perhaps?). I was rendered frozen unable to move.

She took my left hand and peeled off the glove. Then she reached back into the pocket of her black coat and pulled out a ring. It was a delicate thing made of silver with a clear stone sitting on top of it. She took the ring and gently slid it on to my ring finger.

"Almost done," she murmured.

She stepped closer to me invading what little personal space I had left. Again her lips began to move silently and she looked at me with a mix of curiosity and excitement. I looked at the ring expecting it to glow like we where in some cheap movie, but nothing happened.

Next she took a small bottle of liquid from her coat, uncorked it and dabbed its contents on her fingers. She lifted two slender fingers and began anointing (there is no other word for it) my head and hands. Finally she put the bottle away. She was done with this little ceremony thing, at least that's I thought. She pulled me in close and pressed her lips against mine before drawing away a moment later.

I blushed and then glared at her. How dare she!

"Disgusting. What was that for?"

"Oh relax, it was nothing. Part of the ritual is all. It's not as if I tongued you."

I grimaced at her crude use of words.

She looked at me, curiosity sparking her eyes again, and tilted her head a little. "Was that your first kiss?"

I didn't answer just simply glared at her.

"It was wasn't it? Sorry."

I stayed silent and watched her take out the now grey-blue crystal. I became nervous as her lips began to move. Without warning the grey-blue substance expelled from the crystal and came at me again. I froze in the grip of fear.

The air coated me, but did not stick this time. Instead in sunk into my skin or rather my skin absorbed it. It was not an unpleasant feeling, but one I had to get used to. I remained rooted to the spot until her crystal was clear again.

"You're a perfect upgrade," Morena announced happily.

"I'm not just some thing. You can't just make me your familiar."

"You gave me your word love. Does that mean nothing?" She paused and then added, "You know I saved your life, you could be a little more grateful."

"I was only in danger because of your stupid trap. This hardly seems fair. You tricked me!"

She crossed her arms over her chest. "That's not my problem."

I closed my eyes and rubbed my temples. This arguing was getting me nowhere. Apparently it's a done deal. Nothing I could do now.

"What's your name," Morena said interrupting my thoughts.

"Hmm?"

"Your name?"

"Rebecca. My name's Rebecca."

"Okay Rebecca, go home and get some rest. When I need you I'll come and get you."

She tuned away from me and walked in that direction until I could see her no more. I could have sworn she faded into the shadows; she is a witch after all.

I looked down at my left hand and sighed. She took my glove.


	2. Her Eyes

**Ch 2 Her Eyes**

Though I was in dismay about my enslavement to the witch I trudged onward in the snow hoping to get home safely. The sun had dipped down into the earth and now the shadows were swallowing the land. I had to get home before the shadows reached me.

The complex came into view and I hurried to close the distance between us, reaching just before the darkness could catch at my heels. I closed the door of my apartment and then changed into warm clothes.

Sitting at my desk, where a dejected history book laid face down, I looked down at the ring Morena had forced upon me. There was nothing really remarkable about it. It was a thin polished silver band set with a small crystal stone. I suppose you could say it was remarkably boring, but I wasn't the sort person who really cared about jewelry or other frivolous things. It may just suit me.

So I'm a familiar. What exactly does a familiar do, besides hold energy or "magic"? Am I supposed to serve her? Be her loyal companion? I should hope not. I don't think I could do that without killing the woman. I've known her for all of ten minutes and I already find her to be a pretentious annoyance.

I wonder what witches are like. She must have some wicked awesome powers or maybe she can fly. She must live a terribly exciting life, fighting evil and holding secret coven meetings I suppose.

I shook my head of these thoughts and settled down for some reading. I still had to finish my history. I figured I'd get it done tonight and enjoy a homework-free Sunday.

It wasn't long till I was interrupted. A solid knock sounded at my door and then my father appeared. I watched him for a bit before speaking. The paint spots on his shirt told me he had just come from work or hadn't bothered to change. His jeans and shirt both sported spots of cerulean.

While waiting for me to speak he ran a hand through his dirty blonde hair all the while looking at me with his friendly green eyes. He was a handsome man you could say. He was tall with a lean muscular frame. He had boyish good looks and a sparkling personality to go with them. You'd think women would be lining up, but my father was a shy man. At least that's what I thought. He was never much a dating man.

I guess mom was the only one for him, but I wish he would find someone. He's been alone for so long. It's been nine years since my mother's death. I was seven years old when it happened. She was coming back home from work and got hit by a drunk driver.

"Home from work early?" I asked.

"Came back a little while ago and you weren't there. I just assumed you were out."

"I went for a little walk, out in my woods."

"Sketch anything nice?" He knew me too well.

I shook my head. "To late in the day for a steady light source."

He nodded sympathetically. "I'm going to start on dinner, care to help?

"That would be great." I followed him to the kitchen.

It was small, but everything in it was new and shiny. Following the chrome theme from the appliances, we made the kitchen a modern room. The walls were white, decorated with pictures of black obscure shapes (compliments of myself). An industrial metal island sat in the middle of the room and a square glass table stood across from it, surrounded by artistically shaped chrome chairs.

My dad pulled out various ingredients from the fridge and cabinets while I turned on the radio to something country. He liked to sing while cooking and was actually quite good when he wasn't joking around.

"Hey Becs catch!"

I spun around, just in time to catch the tomato flying through the air towards my head.

"Dad! It could have hit me."

He chuckled. "Now that would have been something to see."

I scowled at him and turned back to wash the red fruit in the sink before throwing it back to him.

"You're such a hypocrite," he laughed after catching the tomato.

We settled into the familiar routine of preparing the ingredients for our meal before speaking again.

"So Dad what's happening at the museum?"

"I'm doing some touch ups. This one piece I'm working on is phenomenal. I don't know how the man does it. It looks so damn real."

"Dad!" I chastised. I wasn't one for swearing.

"Sorry, I forgot you had a thing about cursing."

"I don't have a thing about cursing. I just don't like it."

"Oh you're not that polite." He stopped and added all the vegetables I had chopped into the pan. "You can curse if you want too. You're old enough now."

"Geez, what kind of dad are you?"

"A hip dad."

"Oh please nobody says 'hip' any more."

"They did in my days. I was a pretty cool cat. Used to have all the best dance moves." He put down his cutting knife to demonstrate "his moves". He did the robot and some other moves I couldn't name, but they looked just as ridiculous, especially with the country music playing in the background.

I just laughed as he ended his dance with a moonwalk.

"Oh yea dad you were a cool cat."

He laughed to and added the rest of the ingredients into the pan.

When dinner had and done I retired to my room and made an effort to finish my homework. It wasn't long till I found myself immersed in my sketchpad. I flipped through to a blank page and began to draw a pair of intense eyes with a curious spark that lingered in the back. After a moment I realized whose eyes I was drawing. Morena's. I finished the eyes and worked on the rest of her face. Satisfied with the finished product, I placed the pad on my desk.

"Becs?" My dad was at the bedroom door.

"Yes?" He opened and stepped inside.

"You don't mind if I'm out tomorrow morning? They're some nice willows overlooking a river that would just be perfect in the glow of an early morning sun."

"Kind of poetic dad. Sure why not."

"What's that?" He asked pointing to the picture of Morena on my desk.

I handed it over for him to look at and watched his face. He grew thoughtful while viewing it.

"It was just something that came to me. What do you think?"

"She's beautiful and her eyes…Becs this is spectacular." It must be good, he reserves spectacular for the really talented drawings.

"You really like it?"

"Hmm, yes. There's just something about her. Those eyes. Becs, they really draw you in."

I peered at him curiously from my desk. He was acting quite strange. He looked it too, his expression had softened and his emerald colored eyes held a considerable amount of warmth.

A small smile appeared as he studied the drawing of Morena a bit more in depth.

He wouldn't like her so much if he knew she was using his daughter as a familiar. He can't find about that, about her. What would he do if he did?

"Is it really that good?"

"Yea. Does she have a name?"

"I think I'll call her Morena."

"It suits her." He paused. "Can I keep it?"

I shrugged. "Sure."

He tore the picture from the pad with ease and handed it back to me.

"I was thinking," he began. "That we could do lunch tomorrow down at the river. There's a small café that overlooks it and I swear it has the best pie you'll ever taste."

"That would be great. I've never been there before and it's not too far away. I could walk." I could drive too, but my dad would need the car to carry his supplies.

"Great so would noonish work?"

I nodded.

"Well I'm going to bed." He kissed me goodnight before leaving with the picture still in his hand. It was almost ten and I figured it would be wise to get some sleep too.

So I did.


	3. Warding

It was 10:00am and I had already risen from bed and prepared myself for the day

It was 10:00am and I had already risen from bed and prepared myself for the day. Having eaten breakfast I was now just waiting till 11: 30, about a half an hour from now. I had decided that leaving then would give me enough time to get to the café.

Getting up from the couch I yawned and stretched, still a little sleepy. I padded over to the kitchen and searched through the cabinets until I heard strange sound. I strained my ears to listen. There was definitely something moving around, but what or who? I was the only one home. Wasn't I?

I stealthily made my way closer to the noise. It seemed to be coming from my bedroom. I tensed as I heard the sound of someone walking on my bedroom floor. There's someone in my house. Should I call the police?

I placed one hand on the brass knob and turned it slowly. Through the crack I could see…Morena? She can't be here. I opened the door fully and exposed my presence.

I eyed her from the doorframe. She was wearing a long stylish black coat, very business-like. "You're trespassing you know?"

She turned around with a mildly surprised look on her face.

"Oh, there you are Rebecca."

"Yes, your faithful slave is here," I replied tartly.

"You're not a slave. All I ask is that you hold my energy and are present during my spell casting."

"Funny I don't remember you asking me if I wanted to be familiar or not."

"You agreed to pay the price. It was a fair deal."

"So what are you here for anyways?"

"Warding."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm going to ward your apartment. It should keep the minor demons and lesser shadows at bay."

I blanched. "D-demons? You didn't say anything about demons."

"Oh don't worry. It's very unlikely that you'll ever even see a one. It's just a precaution."

"A-and what are shadows?"

"Shadows? They're like ghosts I suppose, only they're not deceased spirits. They're negative energy. If something traumatic happens in a house, let's say a murder, well then all those dark emotions become a separate being."

"Oh," I replied.

In the silence that followed after her explanation we stood staring at each other. I shifted nervously from foot to foot while she was clearly amused. Her face was very expressive and right now her eyes seemed to twinkle.

She broke away from my gaze and turned to my desk to fiddle with a bag she had apparently brought with her. She began to remove small silk drawstring bags from her bag and place them on my desk.

I could hear her whispering a spell or incantation of some kind. Her words had some sort of effect on me. I shivered despite the sweater I was wearing. I was chilled to the core and still losing heat. It had to be her doing this.

"Stop it!" I shouted.

She turned and raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at my outburst.

"Rebecca you should get used to this. You're my familiar now and I will constantly be pulling energy from you."

"I am not your familiar," I grumbled.

She ignored me and turned back to my desk focusing her attention on her task. On a childish impulse I stuck my tongue out at her turned back. Producing no reaction I crossed the room and hunkered down onto my bed.

Again I felt the odd sensation of losing all my body heat and it angered me. She was using me. I could feel the rage filling me up. The pressure of it would make me explode.

I jumped suddenly as I heard a crackling sound from Morena's direction. She looked away from the smoking wards and stared at me with surprise clear in her eyes.

"What did you do," she asked.

"Nothing!"

With three long steps she crossed the room. She stood before me and squinted her eyes as if I were a chalkboard that held a complicated math problem.

"I knew you were different," she said to herself.

She placed her hands on either side of my face and peered into my eyes. Uncomfortable with her closeness, I pushed her hands away. She didn't attempt to put them back and I was just fine with that.

"What were you thinking when you ruined my wards?"

"Why are assuming I did it? How do you know it wasn't you?"

"Because I only pulled a little energy from you. Certainly not enough to destroy a perfectly good batch of wards." She paused glancing back at the still smoking wards. "So answer my question Rebecca. What were you thinking about before you destroyed my wards?"

"I was thinking about how angry you make me." I stood up. "I hardly know you and you already frustrate me to no end!"

"Ah, I see now. You just need to control your emotions. You're holding a lot of energy you know?"

"I have a better solution. Why don't I get you a nice cat instead?" I glared at her. "I bet it would make a much better familiar."

"Calm down."

"No I will not calm down, I have every right to be angry. This is not what I bargained for."

"I do remember saving your life and I agreed to help you out for a small something in return." She smiled wickedly. "Can you really put a price on your life."

Oh she is pushing the limit. I simmered silently and made not attempt to hide what I felt.

"You need to calm down," she repeated.

At this point it was impossible to be calm. The rage was building again.

She moved closer and held my face between her hands again. She whispered another silent incantation before I could push her away. I felt every muscle relax in my body and my eyes half closed. I felt so drained.

"Stop it," I protested weakly.

She said nothing, but instead guided me back to my bed and urged me to lie down.

"It will only last for a few minutes and then I insist that we head to my home to work on a new batch of wards."

Unable to properly respond I closed my eyes and hoped I would be able to wait out the spell in silence. But of course Morena would have none of that.

"Where do you keep your cell phone? You do have one don't you." I ignored her. "Oh never mind." She must have found it. "I'm going to put my number in it okay? If you ever get into trouble, the sort a witch can handle, call me."

I heard her put my cell back down and then pick something else up. I opened my eyes and found that she had picked up a picture frame that held a picture of my father and my mother and me. She carried the picture back to the bed upon seeing my eyes open. She sat down and scooted close to me.

"Is this your family?"

I nodded.

"What does your dad do?"

"Artist," I whispered.

"And your mother?"

"Dead."

She was quiet for a moment. "I'm sorry."

I said nothing, closed my eyes and turned away. When this spell was over I was going to get even. I am not going to be her familiar and I am certainly not going to be some spell test dummy.

I have never felt such rage before. I am normally tranquil and quiet, but she-

"You don't have much to do today, do you?" She broke the silence again.

Upon nodding my head I found that my movements had become less sluggish. If I could get away from her and to a public place then maybe she would leave me alone for the time being. All I had to do was get past her and to the door. She stood right in front of me now. Perhaps if I tackled her it would give me just enough time to get out the door and out the apartment.

I wiggled each of my limbs with success making my assessment complete.

Now in 1,2,3…

I sprang to life and jumped off the bed and on to Morena, knocking to her to the floor. She gave a yelp as her back collided with the floor. I pinned her shoulders down taking a second to look into her startled eyes.

Then I got off her quickly and made my way over to the door, but just as I reached for the knob a hand slipped around my ankle and I came down with a painful thud. I looked back quickly to see Morena stretched out on her stomach reaching towards me. Her hair hung haphazardly around her face, a few black curls covering her eyes.

Her grip was solid and I found that no matter how much I struggled she would no let go. After I gave up the notion of escape she pulled me closer and then let go. I sat up while she stood and stretched out her back. She moaned and placed a hand on her back before turning to me.

"Are you all right Rebecca?"

I attacked her and she's asking if I'm all right?

I nodded and she tuned to my desk and gathered her things. Was she leaving? Oh god I hope I didn't really hurt her.

She sat down on the floor in front of myself and smiled weakly.

"We really need talk," she said.

I nodded and then shivered. She was pulling energy again. I saw or rather felt the room go fuzzy, but then in an instance that feeling was gone and apparently so was my mind because we were not in my room anymore.

We were in the middle of a large open room, an attic I think. It's wood floors looked like they had seen better days and the pale pink floral wallpaper on the walls had faded. The roof slanted on two sides, but left enough space for a person to stand and a large round window in the back wall let in the light. An old Victorian settee, also pale pink, stood towards the back and a heavy old looking table was off to the side held what I could only assume to be Morena's spelling supplies.

"This is my house," she offered.

We both rose and stared at each other in an awkward silence.

"I promise to take you back when we're finished here. The quicker we make the wards the safer you and your father will be. I never meant to harm you or scare you. I just wanted to make sure you were safe."

"I would be safe if you hadn't made me your familiar."

"No Rebecca that's where you're wrong." She crossed her arms over her chest and then continued.. "You're quite a strange creature, I'm not sure what you are, but I do know for certain that you are not human. You're not a witch either, but it seems that you can release energy at will."

"I, I'm not human? What?"

"No you're not. I can tell and if can tell so can many others. Someone or something would have found you eventually and they might not be as kind as I. They could be from the darker side of my world. Do you understand? This would have happened. You should be happy that it's me who found you."

I took it all in. If what she says is true then it made sense even if her original reasons for wanting me were less than noble.

"If I work with you, will you agree to let no harm come to me?"

She frowned. "You think I would let anyone hurt you? I'm not a monster."

I blushed at having misjudged her character so terribly.

"Should I be thanking you then?"

"I wouldn't go that far."

I bit my lip and glanced around again aware that were walking on eggshells here. "Where exactly are we?"

"Just a few blocks away from the University of Gaveno where I teach."

"You're a Professor?" She doesn't seem like one.

She nodded.

"What do you teach?"

"Folklore and Mythology."

I smiled. "Cool."

"Thanks."

I jumped suddenly remembering that I was supposed to meet my dad at the café soon.

"Morena?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm supposed to meet my dad at noon and if I'm not there he'll wonder what happened to me."

"I can give you a ride to wherever you want to go if you promise to help make the wards when you get back home."

Knowing just how important the wards really were I promised and sure enough she gave me a ride. As she pulled out her driveway I admired her home, a pale blue Victorian house restored to its proper beauty.

We pulled into the café parking lot just a few minutes before noon. I swallowed as I noticed my dad coming out of his car. I ducked quickly and hoped he hadn't seen me.

"What's wrong," she asked while pulling into a spot.

"That's my dad over there." Her head turned in his direction and she watched him walk into the café. Interest sparked in her eyes.

"He certainly is a handsome fellow," she said, more to herself than me.

"That's strange he says the same thing about you. Only he says you're beautiful."

She gave me a puzzled look. "How does-"

"I sketched a drawing of you last night and he seemed to liked it."

"Are you an artist too?"

"Yes. We share that talent." I paused and added. "He likes your eyes, says they're amazing."

It almost made me smile how thrown off she was by my comments. I had really misjudged her. She's not so arrogant, not so pretentious. She wasn't some evil witch who only wanted to use me. She was a person too.

I said goodbye once more, promising to contact her once I was done and then headed to the cafe.

The café was a small artsy place. The chairs and tables were all tucked away in corners or against the walls. The walls themselves were decorated with colorful abstract art and different colored lit fixtures hung from the ceiling. It seemed to be a very cool place.

I spotted my father sitting in a big purple chair in the corner. He had taken the liberty of ordering the drinks. He knew exactly what I wanted.

"Hey Becs."

"Hey," I said back.

I took at seat in front of him with my back facing the wall. My dad looked the like he always did after a great day of painting, energized. I took a look at what was in front of me. A warm piece of apple pie sat on a clear glass plate and hot tea swam in a black tea cup.

I sipped the tea. A spicy bold flavor exploded in my mouth as I drank the hot liquid. It was chai, my favorite.

"Mmm."

"Good huh?" Asked my dad.

"Yea."

"Try the pie."

I picked up a fork and tasted the pie. The apples were sweet, covered with cinnamon and the crust was warm and flaky. It was perfect.

"This is really good."

"I told you. So what did you do today? Sleep?"

"No actually I was visiting with a friend today."

He raised an eyebrow. "Friend?"

I didn't have a lot of friends and even when I did I never talked about them to him. It was hard making new friends moving around so much. I'm a bit reclusive. I do have to say that I'm surprised he didn't chastise me about going out without telling him first. He liked to keep tabs on my whereabouts.

"Yea I met her recently."

"At school?"

"She's a bit to old to go to school." I paused hesitantly. "Actually she's a professor at the University of Gaveno."

"A professor? You made friends with a professor? You are one strange kid Becs, you know that?"

"Thanks dad."

"Well at least you have one new friend here. So what's she like?"

"She's very good at what she does. It's how I met her."

"Alright," he said and then left it at that.


	4. It's All in Your Head

Ch 4

Ch 4

When I got home from the café I phoned Morena with the number she left on my cell phone and told her to meet me at my spot in the woods. By the time I reached Morena was already waiting, looking as impatient as ever.

When I was about five feet away I stopped and openly stared at her. I knew I didn't want to be her familiar, but I also knew I needed her. If what she said was true then I guess it's better to be working for her than for someone who would not wish me well. And also I wanted to know exactly what I was. She would tell me, others might not.

"Hi," I said.

She nodded to me and then everything went fuzzy like last time. She must have been using her own energy because I didn't feel anything. I found myself being transported into Morena's attic again.

Morena shrugged of her coat and threw it onto the settee in the back. She was wearing black dress slacks and a white blouse with a soft looking lilac vest over it. Very professional.

"Let's get to work," she said.

She went to the old mahogany table at the side of the room. It looked like she had already made the wards. Now she just needed to say the incantation. I felt nervous, about the spell, about being her familiar and about not knowing what I was.

She motioned for me to come to the table. "Well come on let's get this over with quick. We have one more thing to do today before you can return home."

I walked over to her. "You didn't mention that before."

"I know. You wouldn't have come back if I had. Now let me finish this."

"But-."

"Shh!"

I watched her arrange the wards into a circle and then turn back to me.

"Take a deep breath Rebecca and calm yourself."

I did as she said, but still I couldn't help but feel jittery. Her lips began to move the; spell had begun. This time it was different. I went cold then hot and then cold again. The spell wasn't working. I must not have been calm.

She sighed and glanced over at me.

"Sorry."

"I guess I have to get you calm then."

She took my hand and led me over to the pink settee in the back.

"Sit," she said while moving her jacket. I did. "Let's try something."

"To get me calm?"

She nodded. "I guess should have known it wouldn't be this easy."

I opened my mouth to respond, but she foresaw a sarcastic comment.

"Don't say it." I shut my mouth. "We're going to try meditation. Now just let me do my work."

She moved closer to me so that our knees touched and turned towards me. Then she placed her hands on either one of my shoulders. She moved her head closer to mine and rested her forehead upon mine.

"Close you eyes," she said. I did

She was doing something because I could feel something push against my mind. I didn't like the feeling very much. The pushes keep coming until finally there was one great shove. I gasped and then fell back onto something soft.

It was a familiar softness, like grass.

"Open your eyes Rebecca."

When I did I found myself staring up at a clear blue sky. How was this possible? My fingers grasped at the ground beneath me. It was grass.

"Where am I?"

"In your head." I looked over and saw Morena standing in front of me a few feet away.

"In my head?"

"Yes, in your head," she said annoyed.

"This wasn't the meditation I had in mind," I said while getting up.

I looked around and found that there was more than just sky and grass. The ground was littered with stacks of papers and piles of random objects. I walked over to a stack of papers and flipped through them.

It was a pile of school papers. All were graded. They didn't interest me, so I walked over to a pile of stuffed animals. Morena trailed behind silently. I picked through the toys. Some I remembered, some I didn't, but apparently they were important enough to stay in my head.

I heard a buzz behind me and turned. Morena watched with fascination as a group of paintbrushes with dragonfly wings flew by.

"That was strange," I told Morena.

"It's your head." She stopped and squinted. "What's that over there?"

I followed her gaze to a brown house in the distance. Judging by its condition it looked abandoned and since this was the inside of my head I hoped it was.

Curious, I began walking towards it. Morena walked beside me.

"How is this meditation thing supposed to work now?"

"I thought maybe there was something bothering you. We might be able to find what that is."

"You shouldn't have wasted your time I could have told you what was bothering me."

"Really? What is it then?"

"You."

"That's funny," she replied dryly. I was never this sarcastic until I met her.

The closer we came to the house the older it looked, but I knew this house. Somehow. Vines crawled over the windows and the door so I had to tear them off. As I removed the vines I could see that they were hiding some numbers on the door, house numbers. I ripped the last of the vines and read the numbers.

**327**

"This is my house," I exclaimed. This is the house I lived in before mom had died. How old the house had gotten.

I opened the door with little difficulty and entered. The inside was not how I remembered it. The walls were bare, cracked and covered with dust. The floor was just bare wood, faded and worn away. There were no rooms on the first floor, just a tree.

It was large and was decorated with beer cans. Tied around the trunk was a large wooden cross.

Mom, I thought. She was killed by a drunk driver. She was just walking across the street, to the neighbors, when the car came from out of nowhere. I watched from my bedroom window as she was plowed down.

"Did you hear something?" Morena asked.

I snapped out of my daze. " Sorry. What did you say?"

She put a finger to her lips. "Listen."

I did hear something. Crying. It came from upstairs. The stairs were on the other side of the room. I strode across the floor and did by best to avoid the tree. The stairs were old and rickety, but they didn't collapse. Thank goodness.

I reached a hallway. It was impossibly long and displayed far too many doors. I opened the first and gasped. It was all grass with a freshly dug grave and a tombstone. I shut it quickly and backed away into Morena. I felt her hands on my shoulders.

I wanted to stop, but I had to find whoever was crying. I moved down a few more doors and placed my hand on the knob of the fourth door. I took a breath and opened it.

A small child sat with her head in her hands under a window. She looked up as we walked in. I recognized her.

"That's me! And this must be my room." It to was bare, but I recognized somehow.

I watched Morena approach the child, me. What was she going to do?

She kneeled down to the child's level. "Sweetie what's wrong?" She asked.

The child pointed to the window. I approached the window and stood by Morena's side. I looked out, saw my mother and then turned away.

It was that day again, the day she died. I swallowed and looked out again. It was going to happen again and I didn't want to see it repeated. I grabbed Morena's hand and ran towards the door, only I never reached. The room grew longer and more doors appeared.

"We have to get out," I yelled.

I reached out and pulled open the first door I saw. The door open and reveled a street. Her body was sprawled out on the blacktop with blood pooling around it. I screamed and turned to Morena, tears burning in my eyes.

"I want out!" I grabbed Morena by the shoulders and shook her. "I want out! Morena take me back!" I looked back and closed the door on her body.

The younger me began to wail as I burst into tears. I grabbed onto Morena and she wrapped her arms around me.

"I want out." I chanted over and over again. Soon I couldn't hear the younger me wailing and I knew we were back, but I kept sobbing all over Morena's blouse. She rubbed my back in an effort to comfort me.

"I'm sorry Rebecca, I didn't know," she whispered.

After a while I had managed to calm down and peeled myself off of Morena. She looked at me with sadness in her eyes.

I stood. "That meditation thing didn't work."

"I'm sorry Rebecca. God, I'm so sorry."

"I'm sorry I cried all over your blouse," I said failing to make light of the situation.

"I'll take you home," she said, the room already going fuzzy.

I was alone in my room now, with nothing but fresh memories playing in my head.


	5. Professor Claremont

**Ch 5 Professor Claremont**

I looked out the window by my desk clearly ignoring what the teacher was saying. I still had last night with Morena on my mind. I was better now almost back to normal. I would yell at her later. For now I just had to focus on my history lesson.

I glanced up at the clock at the front of the room. Well maybe I won't have to pay attention too long. Five minutes left on the clock. I waited it out and shot out of the room once the bell rang.

After the weekend I've had this was going to be a long and boring day.

I adjusted the strap on my messenger bag and headed over to my locker, which was unfortunately on the first floor. I was on the second. I noticed someone by my locker as I approached it.

This person didn't have a locker near mine; in fact she was on the other floor. This person was a senior named Sara. She was tall, slender, beautiful and blonde. She would never talk to a person like me, a quiet art geek. In fact before this day I didn't think she'd ever even approached me. Maybe she was just there by coincidence.

I went over to my locker and worked the lock and opened it. She was still there.

"Is there something you want Sara?"

She stayed quiet. I glanced over and noticed her looking at me funny.

"You're different," she said.

"Um I think we're all pretty unique," I mumbled.

"That's not what I mean." Why is she talking to me again? She would never in her right mind talk to me.

"Then what do you mean?"

"You're a familiar."

I stopped. "I don't know what you're talking about." How did she know that?

She raised an eyebrow. "I think you do."

I sighed. "Let's not play games Sarah. Suppose I am a-" I looked around. "A familiar. How would you know?"

"Oh come on Rebecca any witch can tell you were a familiar from a mile a way. You're holding enough magic to take down a whole coven."

"You're a witch?" She nodded. "Figures."

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing." I slammed my locker shut. "So now you know my secret what are you going to do about it?"

"Report you. It's against Coven law to have a human as a familiar. The witch who did this to you will be punished."

I turned to look directly at her. "Well here's the problem Sara I'm not human." And with that I walked away. She didn't follow.

Something hit my back really hard as I walked. I looked around. Sara was gone.

"What was that?"

I kept walking, but had to stop. I felt cold again like someone was pulling energy from me. Morena probably had a class to teach now, so why would she be pulling energy. I shivered. She was pulling energy way too fast. I ran to the bathroom. Something was very wrong.

I set down my messenger bag and pulled out my cell. She had programmed her number into my phone. God I hoped she would pick up.

It rang.

Come on. Come on. Pick up!

Sizzle!

I looked around. A trashcan had caught on fire in all my panic. She was right I did need to get a hold on my emotions.

I turned the sink on and frantically began pouring handfuls of water on to the fire. I finally managed to extinguish it and called Morena again. She still didn't pick up.

I needed to get to her. I would either freeze to death or burn the school down. I had to leave.

I made it to my car and drove to the University of Gaveno. I was beginning to feel a little weak and dizzy. Even if Morena was pulling energy she would never pull this much.

Wasn't it too early for me to have problems? I parked and stepped out of the car. It was here that I realized I had no idea where she would be. I took out my cell again and looked at her number. Her last name was Claremont. So I was looking for Professor Claremont.

The first student I asked didn't know where she was. Neither did the second or the third, but the fourth was so kind as to actually take me to her building. Now I had to find her room. 122.

I found her room and slipped in. Class was in session.

The room was a fair size and was currently holding twenty-five students. She glanced at me as I walked in. I took an empty seat in the back. Some of the students glanced back at me curiously while others ignored me.

She continued with her lesson, but I could tell she was wrapping it up. Whatever she was teaching seemed interesting. Native American legends I think. It was so strange to see her teaching. She was an actual person with a real life and a job. Definitely not a figment of my imagination.

Morena underlined something on the dry erase board and then put then put the marker down in a kind of ending gesture. "All right ladies and gentleman class is over. And see how nice I am, letting you out five minutes early."

"Thanks Professor," The students said. They really did seem to like her. Weird. She was much too arrogant for me.

She sat on her desk at the front of the room as the class passed her on the way their way out. Finally the room was empty.

I glared at her from the back of the room. "What good is calling you if you don't even pick up the phone Professor?"

She gave me a dry smile. "What's wrong?"

I threw up my hands in exasperation."Everything! Someone, and I don't think it's you, is pulling energy from me, I accidently set a trashcan on fire and you are now a wanted woman. Apparently it's against coven law to make a human a familiar."

"One problem at a time," she said as she made her way to the back. "Did you speak to a witch?"

"Yea she's a girl at my school. Sarah Crome."

"Of the Crome Coven. Damn."

"Are they bad?"

"No just powerful. They're the head Coven in this city."

"I take it you're not in it?" I asked.

"No I'm a solitary witch. I practice alone, without a coven."

"Oh."

"I should have known the Crome Coven would've found out about you. How could I forget about the fledgling witches? Of course they would've spotted you at school."

I shivered and closed my eyes as even more energy was pulled away from me. "Morena, fix me please."

She looked at me closely and came to a quick conclusion. "You've been hexed."

"Oh great. It was probably Sarah. Don't your coven laws say something about attacking innocent familiars? She should have just attacked you instead. It would fix both of our problems," I grumbled.

"Hey!" She exclaimed, apparently hearing my last comment. "A little loyalty please. I am trying to help you."

I shrugged. "It's hard to tell sometimes."

She didn't say anything after that. She just got up and went back to her desk. I think I hurt her feelings. I watched her pull papers and folders out of drawer and then lock up the desk. After she was done there she went and erased the dry erase board.

"Look," she said. "I didn't mean to do that yesterday."

"If you're referring to the meditation disaster yesterday then I forgive you. Of course you didn't mean that. But do try to stay out of my head." I offered her a small smile.

She smiled back. "I'll try. Now let's unhex you. It's a simple spell really."

She walked back to me, her smart heels clicked on the floor as she walked. She was dressed in a two-piece suit with a grey knee length skirt and a jacket over a crisp white blouse. She topped the outfit off with a string of pearls around her neck.

Finally she stopped in front of me, mumbled a few words and then went back to gather the papers from her desk.

"Whoa!" I said standing up. "That was it? A few words and I'm unhexed?" Well it did work I no longer felt cold.

She chuckled. "Not all spells are so impressive. Some are just plain boring." She flicked the lights off and motioned for me to come.

"Are you done for day?" I asked.

"Uh huh. Can you hold these?" She asked while handing me her mountain of papers and files. I took the papers and watched her lock up the classroom. "Come, my office is just down the hall." I nodded and followed still holding her papers.

She opened the door and ushered me in. I stood in awe of her office. It was a fair sized room with a solid oak desk a few chairs and a set of filing cabinets. The walls were covered with built-in shelves. Many contained old volumes that looked like they might fall apart. Some held old looking artifacts. I spied some old silver jewelry a dagger and a small clay pot among her possessions. Behind her desk dream catchers and crystal prisms hung on the window.

"This is amazing," I told her.

She grinned and her eyes sparkled with pride. "I put a little effort into it."

I dropped the files down on her desk. "A little? This is an incredible office. Nicely done."

She bowed and then flopped down into her chair behind her desk. I followed suit and took a seat on the other side of the desk.

She crossed her legs and looked intently at me. "So what are we going to do about young Sarah and the Crome coven?"

"We? They want to punish you not me."

"Sorry love you're in this as much as I. They'll deal with me first, then you."

"I'm confused here. Who are the good guys again?"

"Technically, we're all on the same side. Good. Only I may have broken the rules and consequently they may see me as the enemy."

"And you're dragging me along for the ride," I accused.

"Oh would you calm down. I'm only trying to help you. I admit my intentions were less than noble in the beginning and I probably should have let you go once I saw you in my trap, but now I'm only trying to keep you safe."

"You should have left me alone."

"I should have, but I didn't. I made a mistake. I'm sorry. Can we stop having this argument again and focus on the real problems."

She was right. This repeat argument wasn't getting us anywhere. "Alright deal, no more arguing. We have to clear your name. So you say you're a solitary witch. How does that help us?"

"I have protection," she said. I gave her a puzzled look. "If you're a solitary witch you have to have protection from other covens, werewolf packs, vampires and other supernatural creatures that could possibly harm a single witch. If you live in the city then you go to the Master or Mistress of the city. Gaveno, being the up and coming city it is, has both a Mistress and a Master. A vampire couple runs this city, married for three hundred years. I take my protection from the Mistress."

"Wow."

"And so will you. I was supposed to take you to see her earlier, but our meditation disaster prevented the trip. And now I'm late for making my payment. Mistress Amelia will be angry, especially now since she hasn't seen my new familiar. She likes to keep track of the changes in my life."

"That's a little creepy. So what kind of payments do you make to a vampire," I asked.

"Blood payments, a pint a month. Don't worry my protection will cover you and should the coven come after us we'll have the Mistress on our side."

"Problem solved," I added.

"Yes," she said, but then she frowned. "Aren't you supposed to be in school?"

Oh no I skipped out on classes. "Morena I need a favor." I pulled out my cell phone and handed it to her. "Since my reason for cutting out of school early is because of you, you have to call and give them an excuse for my absence."

She considered it for a moment. "I suppose I can do that. What should I say?"

I smiled. "Make something up Aunt Morena."

She dialed as I gave her the number to the school. She was unusually calm while waiting for the phone to ring.

"Yes, hello this is Morena Claremont Rebecc-." She didn't know my last name. "Rowan"

"Rebecca Rowan's aunt," she continued.

I watched her make the call with a smug smile on my face. I was in control now. She hung up and sighed. "You are going to make my life very difficult."

"Only because you make mine so."

She smiled and then grabbed the large pile of files I had brought in for her. She packed them away and then reached under her desk and produced a black canvas bag decorated with the college logo.

She pushed away from her desk grabbed her coat off the rack behind her desk and looked at me expectantly.

"Well, are you coming?"

"Where are going?"

"Were you not just listening to what I was saying. I have a payment to make and a familiar to introduce so you will get to meet the Mistress."

"Today?"

"Yes, now come. Vampires can be cantankerous creatures when kept waiting"

"Morena," I protested. She turned off the light and opened the door. I had no choice but to follow.

I pulled out my cell phone again and called my father. School was nearly over now, but he wouldn't notice the time. Morena stayed quiet and listened in or at least that's what I assumed she did.

"Hey dad I'm going to be home late today."

"Okay. May I have the reason why?" He asked.

"I'm going out with a friend."

"The professor?"

I laughed. "Yes the professor."

"Well have a good time. Don't come home to late Becs it's still a school night."

"Alright see you later."

I put my cell phone away.

"So your father knows about me?"

"Just that you're a … friend."

She looked at me for a second and considered my words.

"A friend," she said. "I think I could live with that."


	6. Blood Pet

Ch 6 Blood Pet

We arrived at a renovated boarding house in the heart of the old city. The new city, built parallel to the old, was nothing but skyscrapers, businesses, and upscale merchandising commerce. The old city consisted of buildings of older more elegant architecture and neighborhoods full of beautifully restored Victorian homes. Together they, the old and the new, were a wonderful mix.

The boarding house was a rather large building with multiple levels. Three or four I think. It was clearly Victorian. The outside was a deep purple with yellow bordering the windows and front door.

We stood in front of an ornate sold oak door. Morena pushed me forward to knock. I rolled my eyes and knocked.

The door opened abruptly and without a person to do so. We walked in. The royal red carpet underneath was so soft and plush feet sunk into it. Ahead of us there were three hallways. One on either side of us and one in front of us.

The hallways, no corridors for they were much to grand, were each furnished with matching dark cherry wood tables, small ones that held crystal vases of roses. The walls were paneled on the bottom half with dark wood and papered on the top half with a pink floral pattern. Occasionally a portrait or some other work of art would grace the papered part of the wall.

I looked up to see an extraordinary crystal chandelier lit with candles and not electricity. The boarding house was impressive, but too lavish for my tastes and too big. It looked like you could get lost in these halls.

The only thing that seemed to be missing were the inhabitants. It was eerily quiet.

"Where is everyone?"

Morena shushed me.

I stayed quiet and looked to the hall in front of us. I could just make out the figure in the back, walking closer to us. It stopped walking."

"Mistress? Mistress Amelia?" Morena asked. She sounded scared. If the witch was frightened then I was definitely in trouble. She pushed me behind her and waited for what was to come.

"Morena Claremont, my solitary witch client, you are overdue for your payment." The voice that spoke was accented with old world charm. It was elegant and refined, English maybe. The figure came closer.

"We have a contract my sweet and you have gone and went against it. Now you'll see what the Mistress will do to those who disobey, to those who think they can defy me without consequence."

The Mistress of the city stepped into view. She was all frills and ruffles. She wore a rose colored dress patterned with cabbage roses. Her sleeves were long, bell shaped in the cuff and flowing with white lace, which covered her hands. The skirt of the dress flowed over her slender hips and puffed out slightly. Her bodice was modest, lacy and high collared. To put it simply she looked like an aristocrat

She came closer still, enough so that I could see her face. Her skin was like milk, her lips like roses and her eyes like sapphires. Her pale blonde hair was pulled back into a bun. She was beautiful in an ice queen sort of way.

"Three days late," the Mistress continued, "It is going to cost you Morena."

She crossed her arms over her chest and opened her mouth to expose her fangs. She hissed at us and then they came.

Other vampires, I assumed, came from the side corridors. There modernly dressed vampires appeared followed by a male vampire dressed in aristocratic clothing. He wore a suit in dark blue with a red neck scarf tucked into the front. He stepped past the others and came up to Morena.

"Though you are no client of mine, my wife has asked a favor of me," he said. He, the handsome dark haired, dark eyed, vampire, was obviously the Master of the city. He took Morena by the waist and draped her over his shoulder. She squirmed and fought, but to no avail.

I attempted to go after them, but one of the three held me back.

"Morena!"

The halls emptied, the Mistress and I remained. She seemed deep in thought. Apparently she had not noticed me just yet. I stood frozen in my spot, trying to breath quietly so she wouldn't hear me.

Finally she acknowledged me.

"You girl, who are you?" She glided closer to me, so that only a few feet remained between us. Her cold eyes flickered over me disinterestedly and then returned to gazing past me.

She sighed. "Are you deaf child?" Her voice was harsh. I cringed. "Your name?"

"I'm Rebecca," I squeaked.

She raised a pale eyebrow. "Just Rebecca?"

"Rebecca Rowan. I'm Morena's new familiar."

Her head snapped in my direction. "She took a human as a familiar? That stupid girl!" She growled. "This is unacceptable. She will be punished for this also."

"No! No! Don't punish her! She didn't do anything wrong."

"She didn't do anything wrong," she scoffed. "Has she brainwashed you too?"

Despite the little voice screaming, 'run!' in my head I stepped closer. I had to get Morena out of here.

"No it's true she hasn't done anything wrong." I paused and added, "Mistress Amelia. I'm not human and it's only against coven law if I am, but I'm not."

Interest sparked in her eyes when I mentioned I wasn't human. "Fine," she said with a wave of her hand. " Punishment revoked, but she will still have to face the consequences for her first offense."

"What are you doing to her?" I asked nervously.

Her pink lips curved up into a positively wicked smile. "Oh do not worry yourself with that. You will get her back."

God I had to save her. How could I possibly get her away from those vampires? They're probably hurting her.

"Let me pay for Morena," I blurted out. It was the only thing I could think of.

"You will pay for Morena. You will pay the price. It's your blood you know?"

I nodded. "If I pay will you let her go?"

She began to circle me. "Blood of a familiar," she mused. "I have never tasted one before, but perhaps that is because I have never meet a semi-human familiar. I suppose I could do this one little favor."

She stooped in front of me and trailed her hand over my cheek and across my neck in a caress. "You will pay now," she informed. She was too close to me, her face inches away from mine, though she was a couple of inches taller.

"Let her go first."

"As you wish." She waved a hand and a vampire appeared. "Release my client. Her dues have been paid."

"Yes Mistress."

The vampire left and was just me and the Mistress of the city. She refocused her attention back to me.

"It won't hurt," she assured me.

She wrapped her arms around me and drew me into her. Her motions were gentle and soft.

"You smell lovely, " she purred. I stiffened. That was not good news.

She lowered her head and felt a brief brush of lips and then a sharp prick as her fangs sunk in. I yelped, but after the quick burst of pain I felt nothing. She drank greedily, slurping and sucking away at my neck.

I could feel myself growing weaker as she drank, but I couldn't stop her. She let out a moan and then raised her head away from my neck.

Her face was flushed and her pupils were dilated. Somehow I got the idea that blood drinking was a more intimate affair for vampires. She looked like she just had sex. I wanted to get as far away from her as possible.

"Your blood is laced with raw magic," she said in a breathy voice. "So potent, so sweet. I have never tasted anything like it."

"I think I've given enough," I managed to get out.

"Yes I agree, but..." She trailed off and lowered her face to my neck again.

"No! Mistress," I cried. I tried fighting my way out of her grip, but that only made her tighten her hold on me.

She nuzzled my neck with her cheek and then bit into me again. I fought harder this time, enough to interrupt her drinking. She stopped completely and then in one swift motion she cradled my head against her chest.

"What if I could offer you a life free of stress and worry," she whispered to me. "I could give anything you want, absolutely anything. You would never have to work. You could spend your days as you pleased. Stay with me Rebecca and I'll give you all your heart's desires. All I want from you is your blood." She began to stroke my hair. "Just a little blood, surely that's worth what I'm offering?"

I pushed away from her. "No! I refuse the offer."

"I could make you so happy." She looked at me and her face fell like child who didn't get what she wanted. "No, then? I will respect your decision."

"As you should Mistress." I turned to see Morena and regretted making that motion. It made my head hurt and my stomach churn. Blood loss will do that to you. I closed my eyes for a bit to get over the dizzy spell.

Morena walked quickly and pulled me to her side.

She thanked me quickly before talking to the Mistress again.

"Well," Morena began. "You've already met my new familiar. I assume my protection covers her."

"You have assumed wrong," the Amelia countered. "She is no ordinary familiar. Not animal, but also not human. What she is is unclear to me. If she wants protection she'll sign a contract and become my client. She is her own person and is able to make her own decisions. But I'm afraid my usual protection will not do. She needs something more. There is great danger for her in the future. This nameless creature will be discovered sooner or later."

"Then what do you suggest," Morena asked.

"She should stay with me. Full time protection for a slightly larger payment."

That little scheming demon she's still trying to keep me with her.

"It could be good for the both of us Morena. I could strengthen her make her in to a much more useful familiar."

Morena stayed silent like she was actually considering it. Oh this is just ridiculous. This is my life. I get to make the major life altering decisions, not them.

I spoke up before the two of them came up with another ridiculous idea.

I gestured to Amelia. "I am not going to be her…" I paused for the lack of a proper term.

"Blood pet?" Amelia offered.

"Yes, I am not going to be her blood pet and you," I said while pointing to Morena. "I am not your property Morena you can't just trade me away like that. I'm not a thing. I'm a person. And… I don't feel so good."

The blood loss took its toll on me. I dropped in a dizzying motion to the floor, threw up and then fainted.

I dreamed in black and when I woke up there was light. My vision was a bit blurry. I squinted enough to make out a lamp to the side of me. It was then I realized that I was lying down on a bed a very large one, made of oak and covered with a thick satin blue comforter.

I looked up to find Amelia, sorry Mistress Amelia, sitting in a chair in the right hand corner of the room. I flinched in surprise when I caught sight of her. And then regretted making such a sudden movement. My head still hurt, I was dizzy and still a little nauseous.

"Oh good you are awake," Amelia said. Her voice was nearly cheerful. I found that to be disturbing. She must be up to something. "Drink something." She gestured to the nightstand that held the lamp I first saw. It also held a tray with three glasses and a plate of cookies.

The first glass held water, the second orange juice and the third was another type of juice. When I regarded the liquids with suspicion she spoke.

"Hydration my sweet, only hydration."

I nodded and picked up the water. I gulped it down and then went for the orange juice. It went down nicely and helped with the dizziness and nausea. I grabbed the last glass to and drained it as quickly as I drained the others.

Her pale eyebrows rose in surprise at my eagerness. I guess I was thirsty after all.

"So," I began. "Where's Morena?"

"Still here and safe, if that's what your wondering."

I nodded. "Was I out for long?"

"A good twenty minutes."

I groaned. That was a long time to be passed out in a den of vampires.

"And in that time Morena had managed to work out a plan of protection for you." She smoothed out some invisible wrinkle on her dress skirt before continuing. "You will not be my blood pet. You are to be one of my clients. You will pay in blood monthly and you will agree to the terms of the contract. Before you leave you will receive a copy."

I picked up a cookie from the plate and ate it as she went on.

"I'll count today as your first payment since I did go a little over board. The rest of your payments are due the second Saturday of each month."

I moved to the edge of the bed and dangled my feet over the floor. It was really quite a tall bed.

"So you're my protection now?"

"Technically I'm your Mistress now." I chocked on a bit of my cookie as she said that. She chuckled and rose to pat my back, hoping to help stop the choking.

"Oh don't be so ridiculous," she laughed. "I said that in jest. And yes I will protect you from anything pertaining to the supernatural nature."

She sat down beside me with all the grace of a lady and crossed her legs. All this talk combined with me sitting up was making me feel sick again. I could feel all the liquids swishing around in my stomach.

"This will be a good one to explain to my dad. Guess what I have a mistress now. Isn't that great?"

She smiled at me. "Amusing. The first offer still stands if you ever change your mind."

"I thought I made it clear."

Her smile broadened. "Oh you did, lovely performance by the way. I thought it made your speech all the more memorable."

I groaned. "I'm sorry I puked all over your carpet."

"Oh it's quite all right. It's my fault really. I should have stopped sooner, but you were so…"

"Yummy?" I offered.

She licked her lips in answer.

I lay back down after a wave of nausea hit me. "Jeez, how much did you take?"

"Too much," Morena answered walking in.

"You owe me a pint of blood." I said to Morena. "I paid for you."

"And I thank you very much. I'll have to take you out for lunch sometime," Morena replied.

I studied Morena more closely. She looked well, a little pale, but seemingly unharmed. I glanced at her neck and saw two neat little holes. I brought a hand to may neck and cringed as I felt my own puncture wounds. I looked to the right of the room and saw a vanity with a mirror.

Morena and _my_ Mistress watched as I examined the bite mark. The puncture marks were not as neat as Morena's and the skin around it was swollen in red.

"It looks like a love bite," Morena commented.

"Thanks," I replied sourly.

Amelia chuckled.

I scowled at her and then at Morena. "How am I going to explain this," I pointed to my neck. "To my dad."

"I don't know. Tell him your boyfriend did it." Morena said. Her grey eyes sparkled and she tilted he head a little. "Oh that's right you don't have one. I remember now. Wasn't I your first kiss?"

Amelia raised an eyebrow at this comment.

I blushed. "It was a ritualistic kiss!"

"Oh relax," Morena said. "I'm just teasing you."

Suddenly there was a knock at the door. A female vampire came in and handed a vanilla colored folder and a small box to Amelia. She took the folder and nodded in thanks.

"Ah finally, your contract is here. Come." She moved to the vanity and opened the folder and spread its contents on the surface. She rummaged through a vanity drawer and produced a silver plated pen. "Here sign."

I came over, sat in the vanity chair and read through the contract. It contained all that she told me and more. It also listed where and how her protection applied along with ways to contact her and members of her coven (Apparently a group of vampires was also called a coven).

The contract seemed reasonable and I didn't detect any of the usual fine print the accompanied contracts. I filled out the contact information, printed my name, date of birth and gave her my home address. Then I signed.

Amelia took then pen from me and signed the line beneath my signature. Looking over the contract, she seemed satisfied. She tore the first sheet away and gave me the yellow carbon copy to me and the pink carbon copy to Morena. I gave her a look as she handed the pink copy to Morena.

"You're a minor," she answered. "She'll act as your legal guardian in this agreement."

I didn't know Vampires were such law-abiding creatures.

I nodded and watched her pick up the small cardboard box. It held a small, but expensive looking cell phone. She handed it to me.

"For emergencies. If ever you are to contact me, you use this. Understand?"

I nodded.

"Good." She paused and her gaze swept over both Morena and I. "I believe we are done here. You are both free to leave."

Without any further questions I stood and followed Morena out of the door. She led us down the hall to the exit with the Mistress trailing after us.

Just as I was about to walk out the door Amelia stopped me.

"You will be prompt with your payments. You are young and I would not be happy hurting a child."

I gulped. "I'll be prompt," I squeaked.

"Good girl." She nodded and then let me through and I made my way to Morena's car. I slide into the passenger seat and then looked at Morena. She smiled weakly and then looked back at the house. I followed her gaze.

The Mistress was still standing there. I caught her eye and waved to her. She raised her hand hesitantly and waved back. The gesture seemed awkward when she preformed it. Maybe it was too modern.

We pulled out of the drive and sped away. Amelia kept her eye on us the whole time. She wasn't kidding when she said she would protect us.


	7. The Crome Coven

Ch 7 The Crome Coven

It was a week after my little visit to the Mistress of the city. Nothing remarkable had happened within those seven days. Even Morena had made herself scarce. She came around once only to put up the wards we made. I had almost forgotten about them.

The week went well even Sara avoided me. I had actually wanted to talk to her and get her back for that hex she put on me. I guess that really doesn't matter so much now that I have protection.

I sighed and put on my coat. It was Monday and after school so I was free to do as I pleased. I needed a walk I had decided. I needed to sketch. So with my messenger bag loaded I walked out the door and made my way to my spot in the forest. The sun was still high up, but within an hour it would cast shadows across the land.

I trudged my way across the snow-covered field, happy that I had worn my boots even though they were too big. I approached the edge of the woods and found that someone had already been here. Footprints decorated the ground in perfect intervals (hmm seems awfully familiar). I followed the steps exactly, though my boots were larger than the prints in the snow. Small feet. This person had to be female. It could be Morena again, though I highly doubted it.

With my eyes so intently looking at the ground I almost missed when the prints stopped. I raised my head slowly only to find Sara Crome leaning against a tree. I smirked at her outfit. Only she would wear a white fur trimmed coat with matching boots and headband in the middle of a forest. It was way too chic, way too trendy, well compared to my big black boots and oversized grey coat.

"Sara?" I asked only because I wasn't sure if what I was seeing was real.

"The one and only." She smiled at me sweetly. It was the smile she used to charm the entire student body with or maybe she really did charm people. I was going to bring up the hex, but decided I would use it against her later. Who knows when it could be useful?

"I don't mean to be rude, but why are you here?"

She smiled at me sadly and then turned to walk away.

"Wait! Where are you going?"

She was farther away now, but I could still hear her. "I'm sorry Rebecca."

Sorry about what?

She left me alone and then suddenly I was surrounded. They came from all around me. I counted five. All females, all witches and oddly enough they were all well dressed.

Great a trendy ambush and me without my Louis Vuittons.

I wished I knew how to fight. I even whished I was brave. I was no challenge for a group of powerful witches. Morena was enough of a challenge. What am I going to do?

I looked around. I was caught in a tight circle. I had only my instincts to rely on. And when it comes down to fight or flight, flight is my first choice. So I made a run for it and failed. It took only one blonde witch to hold me still, but to be fair I think she used a spell bcause I found moving to be a little difficult.

I opened my mouth to yell, but the witch who held me put a stop to it. With her hand, not a spell. I bit her hand. No one can silence me.

The witch let out a yelp and slapped me on the head. I don't think she really meant to cause me pain.

"For God's sakes Tiffany she's just a kid. She goes to my daughter's school. Don't harm her."

"Sorry Jill," Tiffany said sheepishly.

I looked up at what could only be Sara's mother. She looked exactly like her daughter except she was older and carried herself with an air of sophistication. I noticed that her hair was not curly.

Was she a friend or foe?

She opened her arms to receive me. The witch who held me got the hint and pushed me into Jill's arms. I still couldn't move.

"Are you Mrs. Crome, Sara's mom?" I asked.

"That's right," she said while wrapping her arms around. It was more of a hug than a restraint. She was definitely a mom. Mothers had a way of comforting you when you were scared even if they weren't your own. I relaxed visibly in her arms. She wouldn't harm me. A mother wouldn't do that.

"Alright let's go."

"Go? Go where?" I asked nervously.

Mrs. Crome gazed down at me and said, "We're just going to take you back to my house so we can fix your little problem."

My little problem? Oh no. The Crome coven was going to punish Morena, but what would they do to me? I squirmed in her embrace.

Mrs. Crome looked down again with concern on her face as she watched me struggle. "Oh no sweetie, don't worry. You're safe now."

"Let's get her to the car," said a brunette witch with an expensive looking trench coat.

"No I don't want to go with you. I…I'm not supposed to get in cars with strangers." I wriggled out of her arms and stepped away from the witches.

"She's being difficult. Just bespell the little thing and get it over with," Tiffany spat. Tiffany came at me again. I took notice of her appearance. Her white blonde hair was really short. It was like a fashionable pixy cut. It only served to make her look fierce and professional at the same time. She must be a lawyer.

She said a silent spell and I found myself unable to move. "Now walk," Tiffany commanded. And I did. I walked all the way to the street and found many expensive luxury cars parked on the side.

We stopped at a black car and Tiffany ordered me to get in. Again I obeyed and slide into the back of the car. Sara was already sitting in the car, looking at me nervously. Though she did nothing to stop the kidnapping, she looked a little apprehensive.

Mrs. Crome slide in next to me. I was in the middle now, no escape. I wondered who would drive the car. When I looked to the front a black divider obscured my view of the driver. They had a chauffer. I could tell without having to see.

Great the Crome coven was a coven full of high society witches. I leaned forward in my seat and found that the spell had been removed. Good. Now all I had to do was get out, but how was I going to do that when both my exits were blocked? I leaned back in the seat and sighed audibly.

"We're doing this to free you Rebecca," Sara said from my side. I just glared at her.

"Fine!" She snapped. "Be that way."

"Sara! Be nice," her mother scolded. I suppressed the urge to snicker. Sara did after all feel kind of sorry for this kidnapping.

As the car grew warm I noticed how cold I was. Ice cold water had soaked through my boots and up to the knees on my jeans. The field before the forest had been covered with many layers of snow. It was deep.

I shivered despite the heat filtering throughout the car.

An arm wrapped around my shoulders and Mrs.Crome drew me closer to her.

"Poor thing," she cooed. "You must be cold. That ratty coat doesn't look too warm."

I looked over to Sara. She seemed angry with me. Was she jealous that her mother was showing me affection?

"When we get to my house," she continued. "We'll get you out of those wet clothes and warm you up. For now why don't you sleep? You must be tired."

A magic induced sleep pressed upon me and I unwillingly complied with her suggestion.

I awoke later only to find voices all around me. I was at Sara's house now. That must be were I am. I kept my eyes closed so as to not alert them to my awakened state. I could feel a blanket wrapped around me. They placed me on some sofa or something and removed my coat and boots. My messenger bag was gone too. The Mistress's emergency cell phone was in there.

I opened my eyes and was dazzled by how white the large room was. Cream colored carpets, a pure white sofa and matching armchairs, white marble statues in the corners of the room and sheer white curtains. It was a gathering room of some kind with two walls composed mostly of windows. A large white marble fireplace sat in front of me with the other furniture surrounding it.

Judging by this room alone, I would say they definitely had money. I knew Sara had money, the entire school did. Everyone knew she was of a high pedigree. Her family did that high society thing. They threw charity balls and dinners. Sara even had a coming out party. It was massive and costly. Well that's what I've heard anyways.

The room was full of high-class witches. Eight to be exact. All fashionably dressed and dripping with jewels. Some of them seemed familiar to me. I knew where I had seen most of these women. Many of them could be spotted, on occasion, in the Gaveno City Paper. They were the type to go to all the city's charity functions. I'm almost certain that many of them were on the city's charity board. Mrs. Crome was naturally the president of this board.

So this means the city's most notable women have just kidnapped me. But who was going to believe that?

I peeled the blankets off of myself and stood. The coffee table that rested in front the white sofa I was sitting in and was littered with objects from my messenger bag. Among the items were both my cell phones and my sketchbook. They had opened it up to a drawing of Morena. Not the one I gave to my dad, but another.

It's safe to say that they now know who's familiar I am.

"Oh Rebecca you're up," Mrs. Crome said. As she said this I glanced towards the door, my escape route. "We bought you here so that we could protect you. You are safe from that Ms. Claremont. We'll take care of things."

"Take care of things? There's nothing to take care of."

Mrs. Crome shook here head. "She has made you her familiar and that goes against coven sanctioned law. I will not allow this. She has practically made you her slave."

"She has done no such thing. I agreed and anyways she's not breaking your law. She has not made a human her familiar."

"Yes my daughter said something about that." I realized that Sara wasn't in the room.

"I'm not human!"

Mrs. Crome said nothing. Instead she walked up to me. She searched my eyes the same way Morena had then nodded.

"You really aren't human." I stayed silent. "Then what are you?"

"I don't know. I was hoping you might know."

"I'm sorry I don't have the faintest clue. An elder witch will have to examine you later. But regardless of whatever creature you are you still have free will and a life of your own. As far as I'm concerned you meet all of the requirements to be human. She will be punished regardless of what you say."

"When?" I asked quietly.

"Soon," she answered. "You'll stay with me until I think you're safe by yourself. I'll prepare a room for you." She turned back to the coven. "Ladies you have your orders. Go now."

"Don't hurt her," I whispered.

Mrs. Crome looked over at me. "Come again?"

"Don't hurt her," I said louder. "She's my friend." Now I held the attention of the entire room.

"Your friend?" Mrs. Crome questioned.

"Yes she's my friend. She would never harm me and she would never let any harm come to me. She's my friend," I repeated. "Please don't hurt her."

She sighed and the coven continued to make their exit. When the room was all emptied out I noticed the door was still wide open. I took a step towards the door, but a hand grabbed my shoulder and held me back.

"Don't even think about it."

I looked back at Mrs. Crome and she removed her hand.

"Come on dear, let's go get you dried up." She led me through her big, impressive house and up the stairs and into a bedroom. The room was a good size and had a warm feeling to it. The walls were painted a burgundy color and the floors were paneled in a light colored wood. The room held nightstand and a bed, which leaned against the middle of the back wall. In front of the bed on was a fireplace and on either side of the fireplace were a desk and a dresser.

"This is where you will be staying until we can fix this problem."

"It's nice," I commented.

She nodded and then moved aside as a short Hispanic looking woman came through the door. Judging by her uniform she must be the maid. The maid had her arms full with towels, a robe, pajamas and a toothbrush.

"Where would you like these Señora?"

"In the bathroom Marie."

The maid moved to a door on the other side of the room and deposited her load in there and then left. I went to sit on the bed, but then thought otherwise. I was still soaked to the bone.

"Why don't you take a hot shower? Hmm? There are some pajamas in the bathroom for you. I'm sure they're much drier than what you're wearing now. Then when you're finished you can join us for dinner at six. How does that sound?"

"Okay."

She gave me an encouraging smile and then left. I almost expected to hear the door being locked, but I heard no such thing. I did as she suggested and took a shower. I put on the borrowed pajamas. They must have been Sara's because they were a bit big on me. I glanced at the clock on the nightstand. It read ten minutes to six.

Guess I should go down. I was a little hungry anyways. I padded down the stairs and followed the smell of food to the dinning room. Apparently they eat in a formal setting. A crystal chandelier reflected off the gleaming surface of a cherry wood dining table. Matching stiff backed chairs surrounded the table and were already filled. Sara and Mrs. Crome were already seated, sitting opposite each other. I took a seat next to Sara, passing yet another maid carrying in the dinner.

A whole chicken was placed on the table along with salad, mashed potatoes, gravy and biscuits.

"Mr. Crome is unable to join us tonight. He's away on a business trip," Mrs. Crome said as she passed the basket of biscuits over to me. Guess it's good he's gone. Some how I didn't think he would approve of kidnapping. I took a biscuit and passed the basket to Sara. We continued to pass the food around until all our plates were full.

The dinner passed easily enough. Sara and Mrs.Crome made small talk, while I stayed silent. Every now and again Sara would look over at me. Was she actually concerned? No probably not.

When the meal was over Mrs.Crome took me back upstairs, chatting amiably all the way. She didn't seem to notice that I wouldn't answer her questions or talk back. She continued anyways.

She sat on my bed and encouraged me to do the same. She wanted to talk.

"You are free to move around the house, except for a few private rooms. The kitchen is always open so help yourself. And don't try to escape. All the doors and windows leading outside are charmed. They won't let you through."

"How long will I be here? What about my dad?"

"You'll be able to return soon enough and as for your dad, we'll figure something out."

"I don't really need to be here. You don't have to protect me."

"Ms. Claremont is a very dangerous and powerful witch."

I laughed. "Dangerous? She wouldn't hurt a fly. She happens to be a very sensitive person." I paused. "I have protection you know. I have protection from your coven and so does Morena. So don't mess with her."

"Protection from who? Surely not the Mistress and Master of the city?"

"The Mistress." I confirmed.

She frowned. "You socialize with vampires? She's endangering your life. Vampires cannot be trusted. I don't approve of this. Once Morena is punished you will have coven protection. You will be safe with us."

I let out a frustrated sigh and stood up. This was getting me nowhere.

"I'll leave you alone for now," Mrs.Crome said standing up. "If you need me I'll be down the hall."

She closed the door and finally I was alone, but not for long. The door opened and Sarah stuck her head in.

"Good she's gone."

"What are you doing," I asked.

She slid into the room quickly and closed the door behind her. In her hands she held the sleek cell phone that the Mistress had given me and my messenger bag.

"Is that witch really your friend?"

"Yes." I answered.

"And she doesn't hurt you?"

"Of course not!"

She gave me the phone and then the bag.

"Why are you helping me?"

"Sometimes the coven focuses on the wrong thing. I heard what you said about Morena. She doesn't sound evil and you're not human so she didn't break any laws."

"You know she's decided to protect me since I'm a nonhuman. She's kind of a noble person." So I exaggerate. I really wanted to get out of here.

She raised an eyebrow at that. "Well just call the mistress person and get out. I want my house back."

"Thank you."

She gave me a small smile and then slipped back out. When she was gone I called Amelia, told where I was and explained the situation.

"I'll come right over Rebecca."

"Thank you Mistress. And what about Morena?"

"She called, yes. But I have been unable to find her. I've sent some others to find her. Do not worry. She will be safe from the coven soon." She said goodbye and then hung up.

I let out a breath of air and flopped down on the bed. Someone was going to rescue me.


	8. Rescue Me

Ch 8: Rescue Me

The Mistress came rather quickly. From my position in the house I could look out the window and have a perfect view of the driveway. She drove a car that was so black it was almost hard to distinguish it from darkness of the night. She came from the back seat of the car giving me the idea that she had a chauffer.

She stood with her long black coat blowing in the wind. The coat clung closely to her body with buttons going all the way down. Swirls of snow particles raced around her as she stared with her icy eyes in my direction. She raised a black-gloved hand and waved. The gesture was still awkward for her.

I grabbed my messenger bag and flew out the bedroom door. I was allowed free run of the house. Wasn't I? I slipped quietly down the stairs, sneaking my way to the front door.

"Where are you going Rebecca?"

I turned and came face to face with Mrs. Crome. She was also in her sleepwear; only she had chosen to slip a pale blue robe over her nightgown.

"Where are you going? And with your bag. You're not trying to escape are you? I have already explained that the doors -"

The sound of the doorbell cut her off. I gave her a last smile and hurried to the door. I waited for Mrs.Crome to catch up because as she's previously mentioned, all my exits are charmed. She opened the door glancing at me questioningly.

Without so much as an invitation, the Mistress walked in with another vampire trailing behind her.

"Ms. Crome I presume?" She didn't wait for an answer before she continued. "Are you aware that you are holding one of my clients here, against her own will."

Mrs.Crome closed the door and led us to the dinning room before she said another word. Amelia grew impatient and started up again.

"Are you aware-"

"She cannot be your client Mistress. She is the familiar of the solitary witch Morena Claremont. Ms. Claremont's actions go against coven-sanctioned law and so she must be punished. And this means that Rebecca Rowan will be transferred to my care. She is under my protection now."

"You seem to have misunderstood me Jillian Crome. Brice hand me the contract." The vampire behind Amelia pulled out my contract from his brief case and handed her the paper. "This legally binding contract clearly states that Rebecca Rowan is my client and is currently under my protection."

Mrs. Crome took the paper, examined it and handed it back with an almost scowl decorating her face.

The Mistress continued. "Not only have you taken my client against her will, but when she proved that she was in fact not a human you continued to hold her here and pursue my other client Ms. Claremont. No coven-sanctioned law is being broken today. You are to release Miss. Rowan and cease your pursuit of Ms. Claremont. Are we understood?"

Amelia gave Mrs. Crome a look that dared the witch to defy her. The Mistress was frightening even without her aristocratic attire.

"Yes," Mrs. Crome said reluctantly. "We are understood."

"Good. Ms. Rowan let's take our leave." When she said let's take our leave she really meant it. We walked straight out of the house without looking back. And since my coat and boots were nowhere to be found on the way out I was left barefoot and cold.

I shivered in the car, enough to get some looks from both Brice and the Mistress. Amelia reached under her seat and produced a wool blanket. She opened it out and passed it to me.

"You should have let me grab my coat and boots. You may be okay in this weather, but I'm not. I could freeze to death you know or in the very least get a bad head cold."

"I'm sorry." She didn't sound very sincere.

I sneezed in response. From the front Brice handed me a handkerchief. I used it and then returned it back to him.

"Did they harm you while they held you captive," Amelia asked.

"No not at all. In fact they were frustratingly polite. They treated me just fine." I paused. "Have you found Morena yet?"

"Not yet. We will find her in due time. No worries."

No worries? I didn't agree with her, but I chose not to vocalize my thoughts.

We drove home making small polite conversation the rest of the way. Before I was allowed to exit the car she said, "I will personally check up on you tomorrow. So be aware."

"Is it a surprise visit?"

"More or less."

I left the car and made my way up to my apartment. It was eight now and dark. It wasn't so late that I would get in trouble, but the Pajama's could arouse some suspicion. I opened the door and quickly traveled to my room.

"Is that you Becs?" My dad called from somewhere in the apartment.

"Yeah," I answered back as I quickly changed into my own pair of pajamas.

My dad came to the door just I finished dressing.

"Becs It's a little late."

"I know dad. I'm sorry. I was sketching in the woods and then a storm just came on so quickly. I got lost in the whiteout and my cell phone lost service."

He sighed, but otherwise seemed to believe my explanation. "You had me worried. I was just about to come looking for you."

"I didn't think I would lose service."

"I know. You have to be careful out there."

"I know dad." He came over and hugged me. "Can you make me some soup. I'm pretty cold."

I sneezed again.

"Are you coming down with something?"

"It's just a cold."

He smoothed down my hair. "Take it easy, okay?"

"I want soup," I said again.

He laughed. "I heard you the first time. Alright I'm going. See?" I followed him out of the room and watched him prepare my meal from the couch in the living room.

He always made soup from scratch. Fresh vegetables, fresh meat, fresh herbs. Yum.

When he was finished he placed two bowls on the table and we ate our late dinner. Half way through the dinner I heard someone knock on our door.

"I got it dad."

The knocking grew louder and more persistent. "Hold on! I'm coming." I opened the door and then gasped. It was Morena and she was not looking well. She was so pale. She clutched her stomach with her left hand. She was hurt. I could see blood staining her blouse and even onto the front of her open coat. I pulled her in quickly.

"Morena."

"I didn't have anywhere else to go," she said through gritted teeth. I gently removed her hand from the wound and got a better look. It looked like a stab wound. It was deep and bleeding profusely. She winced when I placed her hand back. It was a lot of blood.

"Oh Morena what happened?"

She opened her mouth to speak, but a strangled cry came out in place of words.

"It hurts," she whined.

"Rebecca whose at the-." My dad stopped speaking when he saw her. "Morena?" he questioned.

"Yes it's her. This is my friend the professor," I said quickly. "She needs help dad."

"We'll take her to the hospital."

"No!"

We both looked at her.

"No hospital." Tears were streaming down her face with the effort she used to stay conscious. She was swaying now.

My dad stepped in quickly and scooped her up gently in his arms. The entire bottom half of her blouse was soaked completely through to her coat. She cried quietly as he carried her to his room.

"There, there. Shh, it'll be okay," he murmured to her softly. He was being so kind and gentle to a woman he hardly knew. My dad was just a nice person. I ran to the closet grabbed the first aid kit and an armful of towels and then made my way back to my dad's bedroom.

He had laid her on the bed and removed her coat, along with a small book she had been carrying with her. I hadn't noticed it before. I handed my dad a towel and he pressed it gently against her wound. She let out a moan and made a weak attempt to remove the towel.

"I know it hurts. I know," my dad sympathized. He kept the towel pressed to her and with his free hand he smoothed stray hairs away from her face. He frowned as he pulled back his hand glistening with sweat.

"Rebecca go wet a smaller cloth for her head."

I followed his instructions and then draped the wet cloth over Morena's forehead. She let out a sigh of relief as the damp cloth cooled her skin. I held her hand and watched as my used yet another towel to staunch her bleeding.

"The bleeding is slowing," my dad said. "Rebecca would you remove her shirt. I'll wait outside till she's decent."

I nodded. He began to move away, but Morena mumbled something, capturing his attention.

"What was that sweet heart?"

"Thank you," she whispered. He squeezed her hand and then moved away. As he left the room I could hear him whispering, "It's really her. The women from the picture."

I walked over to her nervously. Two towels lay on the floor soaked with blood. The sight made me queasy. I removed the towel that was currently on her wound. My dad was right the bleeding had slowed down, but she had lost to much blood. She needed a doctor. She need blood, she needed surgery.

"I'm going to remove your shirt. Okay Morena?"

"Book. I need the book," she said as I unbuttoned her blouse. "I don't think you should be reading right now."

"Spell book."

"Oh!" I reached for the book.

"Thirty-seven. I can heal, but I needed you." I opened the book up to page thirty-seven. It was a healing spell, just as she said. "I need all of your energy. The stored and just a-a little of your own life force."

"My life force?" I reached to put a little pressure on the towel.

She cried out in pain. "Please," she begged.

"Shh, shh. Of course Morena, of course. Take what you need."

"Thank you," she whispered.

I held up the book for her. She looked at me with her pain filled eyes. "Go ahead Morena."

As she said her spell my dad knocked on the door. "Hold on dad! Not done in here!"

"Alright sorry"

I felt her pulling energy from me. She pulled energy away from me too fast. It was all leaving me. I couldn't breath. The spell continued. I felt so cold, so very cold. I fell to the floor gasping for air. I shivered and then began to shake uncontrollably. Then I was fine, but Morena began to scream, blood-curdling screams.

I stood up just as my dad rushed in.

"What happened?" he asked.

"She's healing. Look."

He did. The wound was healing and her skin was pulling itself back together. He looked at me in disbelief.

"H-how is that possible? She's just healing."

Morena started to scream again and thrashed around in the bed. Healing this fast must be hard on the body. My dad jumped in right away. He got on the bed next to Morena and cradled her against his chest. He kept her still so she wouldn't harm herself.

"It's okay," he whispered. "It's okay."

There was nothing we could do for the pain. We just had to wait it out. For five full minutes she screamed and tried to escape my dad's grip. But after her wound was healed. Not a scar or anything.

She was weeping in my dad's arms now and trying to take in air. She was so pale from the blood loss. She looked so weak, so vulnerable. My dad rocked her until she was silent and then lay her back down.

Her blood loss reminded me off the Mistress and how she'd given me fluids and cookies to get better.

"Dad she needs fluids. Lots and lots of fluids and something sugary for her blood loss. Can you get those while I clean her up?"

He nodded and then left, closing the door on his way out. I leaned over her figure on the bed and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Are you still in pain?"

"Yes," she whispered. "There was poison on the blade. It'll hurt until it gets out my system."

"The Crome coven did this to you didn't they?"

She nodded.

"When you're better we'll talk, but for now you just rest. I'm going to clean you up and change you. Okay? We'll make you comfortable."

I went over to my dad's dresser and picked out an over sized T-shirt and a pair of clean boxers for her to wear. I set these aside and headed to the bathroom. Here I filled the tub with water. I threw in the towels and anything else that was stained with blood. Then I found a small bowl under the bathroom sink and filled that with cold water. I grabbed a couple of hand towels and made my way of over to Morena.

I stripped off her clothes, cleaned all of the blood off her and dried her. I set the bowl and towels aside and helped her into the clean clothes.

"Is that better?" I asked gently. She nodded. "Everything is going to be okay now."

The door opened and my dad stepped in with a glass of water and a plate of cookies. He set the cookies on the side table and handed me that water. I helped Morena hold the glass as she sipped the fluid through a straw.

The sound of a chair scrapping against wood caught my attention and I looked over to find my dad dragging and armchair from the corner to the bedside. I let my dad feed her the cookies. She ate them ravenously, which was a good sign.

I examined her face and noticed that she was sweating again so I ran to the bathroom for a cool wet cloth. I placed my hand on her forehead. She was burning up.

"She has a fever dad."

"Go get the Tylenol."

I did and gave him the bottle. He shook out three pills into his palm and gave them to Morena. I mopped up her face with the cloth and then just laid the cloth on her forehead. Her eyes watched me the whole time. I smiled softly at her and she held out her arms. The universal sign for a hug. I leaned down and let her wrap her arms around me. I forgot she was such a touchy feely sort of person.

She whispered another thank you in my ear before letting go.

I yawned and looked over at my dad.

"You should go to bed Rebecca. You don't look so good yourself."

"Let me stay a little longer."

"Okay. Just a little longer." Morena patted the other side of the bed weakly. I complied with her silent suggestion and sat beside her. She watched me again. I tried to watch her too, but my eyes grew heavy with sleep and I was gone.

A while later I felt my dad lift me up from the bed. I looked over at Morena who was sound asleep. I closed my eyes and let my dad take me to my bedroom.


	9. Changeling

**Just did a little editing on this chapter.**

**

* * *

Ch 9: Changeling**

When I awoke it was already past eight. I was going to miss school today. I rolled out of bed, yawned and stretched. I crept quietly out of my room and snuck a peek into my dad's. Morena was still sleeping and my dad was still sitting bedside, watching her. I knocked softly to get his attention.

He turned, nodded and stood.

Once outside we spoke.

"How is she?"

He gave me a weary smile. The bags under his eyes suggested that he hadn't slept at all last night. "She's better. Her fever has lowered, but she's still in a little pain." He pulled me further away from the bedroom and into the kitchen.

"Here's the thing," he started. "While I'm more than ecstatic that we were able to save your friend, I'm curious about how her wound healed so quickly. That's not possible Becs. Not Possible!" He closed his eyes and took a breath. "Who is she really? No maybe I should be asking a different question. What is she?"

I looked back at the room. "She's a witch," I said. I was being blunt. "She used a spell to heal her wound."

He blinked. "What?"

"She's a-."

"I heard what you said. What you're saying is impossible. You do know that, right?"

"Dad, you saw exactly what I saw."

He ran his hands through his dirty blonde hair nervously. "She's a witch," he agreed.

He walked away from me suddenly and began to rummage around in the cupboards. I didn't quite know if he believed me or not, but I let him be. He would sort this all out on his own time.

"I'm making waffles," he said. "Do you think she'll like waffles? I could make her something else. Eggs maybe."

"Everybody likes waffles," I said while going through the fridge. There were a lot of Tupperware containers full of pre-made meals. I spotted ravioli, chicken French and pasta salad among the containers. Seems like dad was a little restless last night.

I watched him make the waffles and then add bits of sliced up strawberries and the syrup. He readied a dish for me also.

He left me alone in the kitchen to start on the waffles. I took a few bites, swallowed and paused as a strange thought crossed my mind. Right now, in this very second, my father was in his room feeding Morena waffles. Oh god, that's so weird. Weird, but now I was curious. I crept closer to the room and pressed up against the door so that I might catch a snippet of their conversation.

"Is it good?" I heard my father say.

"Mmm. It's wonderful."

"Are you really feeling better?"

"A little sore and a bit tired, but other than that I'm fine."

"That's good." A pause. "Are you…well my daughter said...are you a witch?"

Smooth dad, real smooth.

Morena let out a small chuckle. "Yes, I am." She made a sharp intake of breath, as if in pain.

"Take it easy. Are you sure you don't want to see a doctor?"

She must have nodded.

"Alright then." A chair scrapped against the floor. "I have to go to work, but Becs is home to take care of you."

"Thank you again. You didn't have to do that."

"And miss my chance to save a beautiful damsel."

Oh dad, what a cheesy line.

"Does this make you my knight in shining armor?

I sighed. She was just as bad as him.

The door opened suddenly and I stumbled out of the way. He came out with a goofy smile on his face. It was a strange expression that I couldn't remember seeing before. It dawned on me. He liked her. I mean he really liked her, enough to maybe go out with her. After mom died he just didn't date, didn't look for anyone. It never occurred to me that he would want that sort of companionship again.

"Becs, take care of her today okay?"

"You're really going?"

"I'm sorry, I really can't miss work. Not this week. Watch her okay?" He kissed my head, said goodbye and told me to call if we needed him.

I watched him shrug on his coat and turn to leave. I closed the door behind and gave a passing glance to the lone plate of waffles as I made my way to Morena. I gasped when I saw her trying to get up off the bed. Her face was contorted with pain from her effort.

"Morena, lie back down!"

I ran over to her and nearly had to force her down. Her breath was ragged and I could see droplets of perspiration forming on her forehead. I grabbed the damp cloth that had been sitting on the bedside and dabbed at her face with it.

"Oh Morena, you can't leave just yet. Your job is to rest now."

"My cell phone," she whispered. "I have to call in sick today."

"Oh right, the University. I'll grab the house phone." I rushed back out, but felt the need to yell, "Don't move!"

I found the phone and she made the call. She was out for the rest of the week, I insisted. I may have not liked her so much before, but she was growing on me and I felt compelled to do what was best for her. I was after all one of the few people that could help her and as amiable and outgoing as she was, Morena was kind of a loner. She needed all the help she could get.

I sat in the chair, the one my dad had previously occupied. She was looking better. Her breath was even and her face was relaxed. She was still wearing the oversized shirt and boxers I had given her. I would give her something else to wear later.

"Are you really going to be okay?" My voice sounded small and more emotional than I wanted it to be.

Her face softened and her voice was gentle. "I'm fine Rebecca, really. The pain…well the pain is not as bad."

"But you're still feverish. Isn't there some special doctor for witches?"

"No, there's nowhere I could go where my condition wouldn't be deemed as suspicious." She paused. "I don't think I've really thanked you. I enslaved you; made you my familiar and you saved my life. You gave me all of your stored energy and you shared your life force with me." She paused. "I can put some back into you now. I can feel power floating around from the last visit I made."

"Okay." I had felt a little chilly since she took all of my energy. I watched her lips move for her silent spell. The air swirled around me in grey blue particles. They hovered near me and then descended down upon my body and clung to me until I could feel the particles sink into my skin.

She reached out for my hand. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine."

A hesitant pause. "When they took you, the Crome coven, I wanted to go after you and I was until they came for me. It was an unfair fight, six against one. I did try. I held out as long as I could, but…"

"One of them stabbed you with a poison dipped blade," I finished for her. Who would have thought socialites could be so dangerous. "They meant to kill you. You were innocent and they were actually going to kill you."

Morena didn't respond so I continued. "The Crome coven can't do that, you know. They don't get to decide who lives and who dies. They can punish lawbreakers, yes, but they went too far. They should be punished. You know I could go to the authorities and report them for kidnapping me."

Morena laughed softly at this. I scowled. "What?"

"Who would believe you? Jillian Crome is the definition of socialite. What would be her reason for kidnapping you? What would you tell them Rebecca?"

I considered her words carefully and sighed. She was right I had no case. I couldn't tell them anything without mentioning witches or covens. I'm almost certain that I would sound absolutely loony.

"I guess you're right, but what are we going to do?"

She raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. "_We_ are not going to do anything. _I_ am going to lay low for a while and you…you are going to have to be protected somehow. I guess you could stay with Mistress Amelia for a few days," she mused.

"No! " I tried to regain my composure. "I mean that's not really necessary."

"Then what can I do with you?"

"Morena, they don't want to hurt me. I mean they were nothing but nice when they kidnapped me."

"Yes, but I don't want them to take you again. We both know they'll make another attempt."

I closed my eyes and rubbed my temples. How did my life get so complicated? When did everything start to become a life or death situation? I wished I still thought I was human. What exactly am I? Every time I ask no one knows, they just look at me like I'm some sort of collectable.

Two knocks on the door shattered the silence. Someone was here.

"I'll be right back."

I didn't think it was dad, but I didn't know who else it could be, unless it was a Crome coven witch. I opened the door and stared at two strange figures.

One was a woman. She wore some short of old-fashioned gown, like something a southern bell would wear. The bodice of the gown was black and lacey and the hoop skirt was all ruffles, frills and bows. She was completely covered in black. Her dress was long sleeved and she even wore satin black gloves. On her head sat a strange wide brimmed hat with a veil that was of course black and lacey, but also obscured the view of her face.

The man that accompanied the woman wore a modern black suit, leather gloves and a strange top hat with a veil. He carried a leather bag as well.

"Well are you going stand there or are you going to let us is?" The woman snapped.

"Mistress Amelia?"

She ignored my question and pushed her way through.

"Hey!" Her head turned in my direction expecting a response. "That was…mean," I said weakly.

"Brice! Secure the room." Brice, Mistress Amelia's chauffeur/personal assistant, left her side and began pulling the blinds of every window down and adjusting the draperies to completely block out the sunlight. Once everything was secure my vampire guests removed their veiled hats and their gloves.

The Mistress's pale hair was up in a perfect bun, not a hair out of place. How she hadn't manage to get hat hair, I'll never know. Brice uncovered his head too, revealing his short cooper colored hair. His eyes, which I hadn't noticed before, were a unique steely blue.

"Morena's here," I said.

"I know. Now where is she?" How could she know?

I pointed to the door and followed her in. "Some of the Crome witches caught up with Morena. She was stabbed," I supplied. "With a poison dipped blade. She healed herself, with a spell."

"But the poison still remains," Amelia finished.

I nodded.

I helped prop Morena up on pillows so that she could have a proper conversation with the Mistress. I took a seat on the edge of the bed since the Mistress had already claimed the armchair.

"I'm sorry Morena," the Mistress began. "This shouldn't have happened. I should have placed the two of you with guards as soon as Rebecca told me she wasn't human. I'm sorry."

Mistress Amelia was sincere as she said these words. Her icy blue eyes held some sort of warmth as she shifted her gaze from me to Morena.

"I won't let this happen again. I'll give you guards, but now I think it's time to discover what sort of creature you are Rebecca. If you are a rare sort than we'll have to take extra precautions. I can't possibly think of what you might be. Not a witch, a werewolf or an elf or a sprite."

"I know what you mean," Morena said. "I've read through hundreds of legends and myths and still can't place her."

"I'm right here you know."

They looked at me briefly before retuning to their conversation.

"Take her to your mother Morena," the Mistress suggested.

"Why? Is she powerful?" I asked

"Extremely," the Mistress answered.

"My mother? I suppose she might know something. I'll take her this weekend." Morena stopped suddenly and clutched her stomach. The Mistress stood and called Brice into the room.

"Let's see if we can't do something for the pain. Brice will you?"

"Of course Mistress," he answered. He carried with him the small leather bag. I assumed he stored some sort of remedy in it. The Mistress shooed me out of the room, closing the door behind her. I walked to my room unaware that she was still following behind me. The curtains here were drawn down also, but Brice had already turned on a lamp for me.

My back was turned to the Mistress, so when she closed the door to my room I jumped.

"Did I startle you?" Amelia asked.

I nodded and took a seat on my bed so that the she could have my desk chair. But she didn't sit in the chair as I expected, she sat on the bed next to me. Her closeness made me uncomfortable, her silence made me uncomfortable. She made me uncomfortable. Her piercing blue eyes were trained on me. She was so still, so motionless. She didn't even take a breath. Why would she have to? She's dead.

Her pale slender hand came up to caress my cheek and then traveled down to my neck. Her fingers traced the veins underneath my skin in a vaguely sensual way. I didn't like it.

"Would you stop doing that?! In your world that might be okay, but here that's creepy and kind of illegal. I'm a minor remember?"

"My interest in you is not of that nature, but if that makes you uncomfortable perhaps I'll stop." She said she would, but she didn't. As she spoke I could feel her drawing nearer and nearer. Her breath tickled the flesh on my neck.

"Mistress you can't do that. It's not …" Her arms wrapped around my middle as she held me in an embrace. I struggled in her grip, but she held me tight.

"Just relax." Her voice was calm, soothing almost, and I felt myself doing as she said. I stopped struggling and closed my eyes. She stroked my hair and held on to me with one arm.

"You smell of energy, of magic, more so now than before. This time the energy is fresh. Did she just put some in you?"

"Mmm hmm."

"Lovely."

I could feel her lips poised above my neck. Here is where I snapped out of my trace. She was going to take my blood again. Damn vampires! This behavior of hers was an indicator of the blood drinking that would follow. The seducing, the touching, finding veins, soothing their prey. It was part of a hunt, a tradition for vampires dating back to the beginning of their time or that's what I assumed.

I stayed still for a moment longer, letting her believe that I was still under her control, and then I sprang up. In her surprise she let me go and I made it to the door, giving the knob a twist, but never getting it to open. With her inhuman speed, she caught me again and held me securely against her.

"How curious," she said only mildly amused. "You broke free from the trance. Whatever you are you must have some power in you."

I wriggled in her arms. I briefly thought of shouting for Morena, but I didn't know how much good that would do me.

"Let go of me!"

She released me, but blocked my exit. "Sit back down. I was only going to take a sip, hardly anything to get worked up about."

Hardly anything to get worked up about? The nerve that vampire has. "Could you please not do that every time you see me? It's getting annoying. And why do you have to pick on me?"

"Your blood is like the richest of wines, so smooth and fragrant. I have truly never tasted anything like it. And," she added, "It's so easy to take."

Her eyes were expressionless as she said this. It frightened me.

"No biting," I said. "We have a contract remember?"

"I remember and I apologize."

"Will you stop?"

She looked at me thoughtfully. "I'll give it a good try."

"Thank you." I cautiously made my way to the bed again. I thought about sitting in the desk chair, but that would only serve to make me look weak and afraid. Apparently you couldn't afford to look weak in front of vampires. I studied her form. She was leaning against the door with a sort of casual grace. She looked so out of place in her black frilly gown. I wondered if she ever wore any modern clothes.

As I studied her she studied me and after a moment she began to inspect my room. I let her, fearing she would make another attempt at my blood again. She glided over to my desk, picked up the framed photographs, ran her fingers over the covers of my school books and then found a stack of my sketchpads. She picked them up gingerly and flipped through a couple of them. She seemed to like my work because she would nod appreciatively every so often.

She put the sketchpads down and walked over to my crowded bookshelf.

"Will the Crome coven be punished for what they did to Morena," I asked, breaking the heavy silence.

She ran her finger over the leather spine of a book. I grew impatient. "Will there be justice?"

"And what does justice mean for you?" She asked. "An eye for and eye, a tooth for-."

I cut her off. "Just answer my question."

"I'll take care of things," was all she said.

I sighed and tugged at the sleeves of my pajamas. I stood up, intending to grab clothes to change into, but the Mistress tracked my movement to the closet and moved to my side. My closet was fair sized, neat and tidy. Shirts on one side, pants on another and dresses and skirts in the back.

She slipped to the back of the closet and pulled out a flowered sundress for me to wear.

I shook my head. "Its too thin for winter." She went back in and drew out a green woolen sweater and a pair of kakis. I took these and stepped into the privacy of my closet to change. When I came out she was sitting on my bed with a photo album in her hands.

I glanced at the page she was looking at. Pictures of my fifth birthday party.

"Were they always your parents?" She asked.

It was a strange question and I wasn't sure what she was getting at. "Yes, of course."

"Would they have told you if you were adopted?"

I took the album away from her. "I'm not adopted."

Her pink lips set in a grim smile. "Your father is human. I could sense it when we were is his room."

"What does that have to do with adoption?" I was beginning to get angry.

"There is no crossbreeding among different species. It's simply impossible."

"So my mother couldn't have been…" I trailed off. I had no clue as to what she could have been.

The Mistress shook her head no. My brow scrunched in confusion.

Realization dawned on me. "They're not my parents? They're not my parents. How can this be? I'm not adopted. I mean I have photographic evidence of my birth." I flipped to the first page of the album. "There," I pointed. "Right there. It was taken a few minutes after my birth. See?"

"That child isn't you. They could not have produced a nonhuman child."

"Then tell me what happened? You seem to know everything. How did I come to be?"

"It could be a number of things. This child could have died and they could have adopted you, they could have stolen you. Or perhaps you were switched at birth, either by accident or on purpose. A few species do that you know. Changelings. There's a very good chance that you could be one of those. Nonhuman species are never put up for adoption and their parents are not so careless as to let their children get stolen."

"If I'm a changeling who are my real mom and dad?"

"That's not the question you should be asking." She stood and retrieved the album from my hands. "You should be asking why they let you stay with this human family for so long? Most changelings are taken back by their true family as early as two years old. There have been a few cases where the changeling stayed till adolescence and even fewer cases where the changeling has never been taken back."

"Does this mean I'm a rare sort of a creature?" I said quoting her from earlier. I placed the album on bookcase and then looked back at her.

"Yes, a rare thing indeed, if you truly are a changeling. In all my three-hundred years of existence I have never seen a changeling before. You should know that this tradition is almost nonexistent in these modern times."

"Oh." I sat down next to her, not caring about the dangers of being so near a vampire. "What happens if my real parents come and find me?" I said quietly.

"Then you would have to go with them."

"But couldn't you do something about it?"

"Its state law. If a child is switched at birth then the child will be returned to his or her birthparents." She took my hand in hers. Her skin was cold, but the gesture was comforting. "If you are found, I will try very hard to see that you are happy."

Happy didn't mean that I would get to stay with my dad. Happy didn't mean that I would get to live in a human world. I thought over the information that had been given to me and for a moment I briefly wondered what happened to my parent's real child. Was she with my birthparents or was she dead? Maybe she was just with another human family.

"Come," she finally said. "Let's go check on Morena."

I nodded and followed her out of the room.


	10. The Past is Another Land

**Ch 10 The Past is Another Land**

A few days passed and Morena was infinitely better. All that remained of her condition was a migraine or two. And now that she was better it was decided that we would spend a few days at her mother's house. We weren't hiding from the Crome coven exactly, but we were playing it safe. Morena also thought that her mother might be able to figure out what I was. A changeling, yes, but what species was I. I hadn't exactly told Morena that I was a changeling. I mean I didn't know that for sure and she would probably figure it out herself anyways.

My dad of course was left in the dark about our trip, but I knew he would let me go. He would have to. Our bags were packed. Morena had retrieved her clothes via spell. She had been at my house for nearly a week and was beginning to become a regular fixture here. She mostly stayed in bed fighting fever and pain, but when my dad was home they would just talk for hours.

I knew in the future that there would be dating. They would hide it from me at first because they would think I was against it. But Morena, as strange as it is, makes my dad happy. I planned on having a talk with her this trip.

Morena was just putting on her coat and I was sitting on my father's bed watching her.

"You should have told my dad first."

She turned to look at me. "I know that." She was getting snippy with me. I had told her this five times already this morning.

"My life was easier before you," I said.

"I know," she said quietly.

I stood up and handed her a scarf. "But I am glad I met you."

For a second she looked like she was going to cry and I wouldn't out it past her. She happened to be an overly emotional woman. She smiled instead and gave me an impulsive hug. It was almost a painful embrace. I let out a sigh of relief when she finally let go.

"You were cuddled too much as a child," I told her.

"And you were cuddled to little."

Somewhere in the apartment a door opened and shut. My dad was home, just as we'd asked. I had called him earlier and told him to rush home.

"Ready to go," I asked.

We took our bags and met my dad in the kitchen. His clothes were still clean, which told me that he hadn't started much at work, but his hair was slightly tousled. He had a habit of running his hands through his hair when he was worried.

Morena walked up to him. I hoped that he would be too stunned by her beauty that he would just let us go. She made herself up today. Putting on makeup, styling her hair and finding the perfect outfit. It was all for him. I would have teased her, but she looked so serious when she was doing it.

"We have to get out of town for a bit. Lay low for a couple days," Morena said

My dad paled. "Are you in trouble. Did whoever stab you…"

"I'm fine I don't think they'll ever do that again, but I just want to be sure."

"Why does Rebecca have to go with you?"

"Because they know she knows that I'm a witch. I've involved her in this, so I'll make sure she's safe. But really we have to go. Here's my cell number. Call if you need to."

My father looked like he was going to argue, but he took one more look at our faces and knew that whatever he said wouldn't keep us from leaving. He took the slip of paper with the number on it and turned to me. "Be safe."

I hugged him and he kissed my forehead. "I will."

He turned back to Morena. "I'm trusting you with her and when you get back I want an explanation, over dinner maybe." Then he took her by the shoulders, leaned in and gave her a gentle kiss on the lips. "And be safe."

We left after that and made our way to my car. It was decided that I would drive, since Morena was still having migraines. She was still smiling when I pulled out of the parking lot.

"Would you wipe that goofy grin off your face."

In her defense she really did try, but she broke out into a smile. I pulled onto the expressway and began our four-hour journey to her mother's house.

"It's been a long time," she said quietly. I waited for her to go on. "It's been a long time since someone has kissed me."

I know what this is leading to.

"Look," I said. "I know you like him and I know he likes you, so you can go ahead and date or whatever you want to do."

I had her attention.

"And you better not break his heart cause you'll be the first woman he's dated since my mother's death. If you hurt him I swear I'll sick the Crome coven on you."

"What if he hurts me," she asked.

"He won't. And another thing, you play for keeps. This better be a serious relationship."

"Oh course. What sort of woman do you think I am? I want what everyone wants. I want to get married and settle down. I want children and a house with a white picket fence."

Her face had a dreamy look to it. "Do you have anymore rules for me?"

"No sex while I'm in the house."

She blushed.

I smirked. "We're all grownups here Morena no need to be shy."

I drove for an hour before we spoke again. "So tell me about your mother. What's she like?"

"She's a legend. A powerful solitary witch, with an affinity for the elements."

"Like water and earth?"

"Yes like that. I have the honor of standing in her shadow."

"And I have the honor of being your familiar." She jumped when I said this. "What? What's wrong?"

"I haven't exactly told her that you're my familiar."

"Oh, so you're going to get in trouble. This I have to see."

"Stop that," she snapped. "You're supposed to be on my side. You agree with me."

"You don't control me." I gripped the steering wheel tighter.

She sighed and put her hand on my shoulder. I shrugged it off. "I didn't mean it that way," she said gently. "Come let's pullover to that diner. I'll buy you some pie."

We sat in the vinyl-covered booths as we waited for our apple pies. I played with the ring Morena had put on me when she made me her familiar.

"What does this ring do?" I asked her.

She bit her lip and waited a moment before answering. "It's a symbol of my power over you. You can't take it off, only I can."

I gave it a tug and sure enough it would not come off. I hadn't really thought about the ring before and had never even tried to take it off, so this was a surprise.

"How much control do you have over me. Could you order me around if you really wanted too?"

She nodded and I felt myself pale. I didn't know about that.

"Oh love, I wouldn't do that to you. And it's not just that, it's a connection too."

"It is? You mean I could go into your head the way you went into mine?"

She shook her head no.

"Can I try?" I didn't wait for her to answer. I closed my eyes and pushed my… energy, I guess, against her forehead.

I heard her gasp, before I was thrown into a world of darkness. I was standing in a forest. It was night obviously, which is why it was dark. A little girl with tan skin and perfect inky curls stood in front of me. Morena, I thought. She slipped away into the trees and I went to follow her, but someone grabbed my hand. I turned to see the real Morena. She looked angry.

"Get out," she hissed.

I looked at her in surprise. Morena was never angry with me. She was always so nice to me even when I was being disagreeable. I closed my eyes again and tried to do as she said, but I didn't know where to push or where to put my energy.

"I can't!"

"You can't? I don't even understand how you got here in the first place. You…you're… what are you?!" She yelled.

I shrank away from her and slipped out of her grip. I had to follow little Morena. She had already seen my past, so why shouldn't I see hers? I ran in little Morena's direction with the real Morena trailing behind me.

In front of me was a clearing. Little Morena hid off to the side in some bushes, while a tall dark man of Spanish descent walked towards a group of shadowed men. When I looked closer I realized they were shadows.

"Daddy," I heard little Morena whisper.

The men approached her father.

"Well where are they?" One shadow man asked.

"I will not give you my wife and child," her father growled.

"That was your mission warlock. You seduce that bitch and bring her to us. The child is just a bonus. Such a remarkable child she is. Half witch, half warlock. Half light, half dark."

"We wanted that witch," another shadow man said. His voice was low and scratchy. "That was the deal. Where is the Claremont woman?!"

"You cannot have her!"

"Then we take your soul!"

The shadow men's hands extended into razor sharp claws. They circled her father and swiped at him. A stream of blood gushed out of his neck. Another swipe at his stomach and his intestines hung out of his body cavity. I gasped and backed up into something solid. It was Morena. She tucked me into her arms and pressed my face to her chest.

"Don't look," she whispered.

I could feel her breathe in my hair and I knew she wasn't watching either.

"Daddy!"

I turned back and saw little Morena running towards her father. I tried to run after her, but Morena wouldn't let me.

"There's nothing you can do," she whispered. Her body was shaking and there were tears glittering in her eyes.

We watched the seen unfold before us. It was clear that her father was dead, but the little girl ran up to him anyways.

"Look the mongrel child! Get her!"

Little Morena cried out as they approached, but they never reached her. A tall, lean figure leapt out and scoped up the child with an inhuman speed. I ran after little Morena again, behind me I could hear fighting. The figure had sent backup. Morena was holding my hand so I had to drag her along. We stopped at another clearing. A stream cut through it and I could hear the water trickling across the stones at the bottom.

I recognized the person holding little Morena, or should I say vampire. The Mistress cradled the child and spoke in a soothing tone. Her dress was as pale as her skin and her blonde hair fell in waves to her waist.

"Amelia," little Morena cried. "Amelia, where's daddy?"

The Mistress kissed the child's head. "My sweet child, it'll be okay." She leaned down to the stream and dipped her hand in the water. She attempted to wash away the blood that had splattered all over little Morena's face.

The Mistress began to sing quietly as she washed the child. "Hush my sweet, I won't be far. Close your eyes and I'll be amongst the stars."

She set little Morena down. "I'll always protect you Morena, you know that don't you?"

The child nodded. "Daddy's gone isn't he?"

"Yes he is. I'm sorry." A pause. "You're a very special girl. Something very new. You're a crossbreed my special one. The very first. I suppose your mother would be the one to cross those lines, the only one with enough power to cross that line."

Little Morena didn't understand this part, but she spread her arms open for a hug. "I love you Amelia."

I could see Amelia smile as she wrapped her arms around the child. "I love you too." She picked up the child once more. "Now come, your mother is worried sick about you."

We followed Amelia to a small house further down the stream. A woman with Morena's grey eyes stood just outside the doorway.

"Oh, thank goodness. Morena come here." Little Morena was passed into her arms. "Amelia, thank you. Come inside."

Morena wouldn't let go of my hand and though I knew I should let her be, I dragged her to an open window to listen in.

"I'm sorry Lena, he's dead and my suspicions are true."

"It can't be! He's not a warlock. I love him, he's good, he's a good man."

"He made a pack with shadow demons. This was part of his plan. He was to seduce you and then hand you over."

"That's not true," Lena cried.

"Only he failed," Amelia said, her voice raised so she could speak over the crying. "He fell in love with you. He loved you Lena and Morena. He wouldn't hand you over."

"He really loved me?"

"Yes."

"Then what about Morena? She's -."

"She's a witch," Amelia said. "You raise her as a witch because she is a good girl. She may be part warlock, but that does not make her evil."

Lena, looked to the door of her daughter's room. It was closed right now, but I had seen it open a crack just a minute ago.

"I thought he was human, so I worked for over a year on a potion that would help us have her. I didn't think it would work, I was just one witch."

"If there is anything I have learned, Lena, its never to underestimate you."

"How will I know that she isn't like her father? Amelia you can't possibly know."

"Raise her as a witch."

I pulled away from the window. I knew Morena's deepest darkest secret. I had heard of a warlock before. In some stories they were the male counterparts of witches, but here they weren't. In real life they were evil, but Morena wasn't evil. Right? She did make me her familiar. What drove her to do that in the first place? Was it her dark side?

I looked at her crumpled figure weeping on the grass next to me. No, Morena could never be evil, she just made a mistake and we all make mistakes. I kneeled down in front of her. She wouldn't look at me.

"How do we get out?"

She looked at me and I could feel her pushing at my mind.

"I don't know how to get out of my head, but yours I can get out of."

I understood and let her enter my mind. She pushed harder and I fell back.

It was dark where I was. I couldn't see anything. I was blind. I felt someone holding me.

"Morena?"

It wasn't Morena holding me. The voice that sung softly was not hers, but another woman's. The song was familiar and it was the only thing in this dark world. I felt myself moving downward.

The voice spoke. "Goodbye my daughter."

Then we were back in the diner. Morena stood abruptly, slapped a twenty on the table and left. I waited ten minutes and followed her out to the car. She was crying quietly in the backseat. I slipped in beside her.

"I'm sorry Morena. I didn't mean to do that. I'm sorry." I paused and then tried a different approach. "I guess we're not as different as we think we are." We both lost a parent and we were both there to see it. We were both confused about what we were. We were not so different.

She nodded and then leaned her head against my shoulder. I felt like I had to tell her something about me. Something she didn't know.

"I'm a changeling." She lifted her head to look at me. "I mean that's what Amelia thinks I am. My parents were both human and crossbreeding, with the exception of you, is impossible. And that last memory that was in my head. The woman called me her daughter, but it wasn't my mom. I definitely remember my mom's voice and that wasn't hers." I was beginning to ramble so I stopped and took a breath. "Amelia said that if my real parents came back for me that I would have to go with them."

After that I slipped out of the car and back into the driver's seat.

"I'm sorry." I hesitated and then added. "You're definitely a witch. You're not bad. You're probably the kindest person I've ever met. And as strange as you are you try hard to protect me."

She came out from the backseat and made her way to the passenger seat.

"I won't let them take you away from your father," she said. "Amelia and I will make sure of that."

I smiled. "You and Amelia were close?"

"She was a prominent figure in my childhood, but after my father died we moved away from her and her city. When I was older I came back. Our relationship is a bit strained, but I remember everything she did for me as a child. She's my Godmother actually."

"She's different now."

"No, not really. She just treats me differently."

"I'm sorry," I said again as I started up the car.

"You didn't know. I didn't know. No one knew you could do that."

"What am I?"

"I don't know. For now you're my familiar."


	11. Glamour

**Hey readers, this is the chapter where we finally get to see what sort of creature Rebecca is.**

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Ch 11 Glamour**

It was late afternoon when we arrived at Morena's mother's house. The drive up the gravel driveway was long and it took a good three minutes to reach the little two-story house that was hidden in the forest. The house was a tan color with a grey roof. The trees above the house sheltered the home from an onslaught of snow.

I parked and helped Morena with our bags. She had been quiet the rest of the car ride, but I wanted to cheer her up. I told her about my mom, I told her funny stories about my dad and even some tales from my childhood. She didn't say much, but the curl of her lips and the sparkle of her expressive grey eyes told me many things.

I took both bags from her when I noticed her shortness of breath. She was beginning to tire. If she did lie down soon I knew she would get a migraine for sure. I had hoped the poison would be out of her system by now, but it wasn't.

The door opened before I knocked and out stepped a tall woman with steely grey eyes and inky black hair. Morena's mother was paler then her and had wavy hair instead of perfect curls, but they had the same facial structure. Lena was in her late fifties, but had incredibly good genes. She was just as beautiful as her daughter.

She went up to Morena and pulled her into an embrace. "When were you planning to tell me that you were stabbed? Amelia had to call and tell me."

"I told you about the attack mom."

"Yes, you did, but you skipped over a few important details. Are you all right baby?"

"I'm fine."

"She still has migraines from the poison," I said.

Lena let go of her daughter and glanced over at me. I held out my hand. "I'm Rebecca."

She shook my hand and frowned. "You're a familiar."

"Um, yes."

"Morena did you make this young lady a familiar?" Her voice had a deadly quality to it now.

"I did, but you have to understand-."

Lena's grey eyes darkened and her fists curled in fury. "Morena, you can't do that to her. It's not allowed. It's an evil deed to enslave another like yourself. You release her Morena and then you leave. I don't want to see you again."

"Mom I can't."

"It makes no difference who releases her. I'll do it and then you leave," her mother growled.

I couldn't let her do it. If I weren't under Morena's control then I would soon find myself under the control of someone else and like Morena said, they might not have good intentions for me.

"No wait!" I yelled. "You can't do that. I need to be her familiar. If I'm not then someone else will claim me like I'm some collectable toy. I don't know what I am, but I'm not human. I agreed to this. I made a deal with Morena." It was true I had made a deal with Morena even if I was forced into it. A life for a familiar.

"You made a deal?" Lena asked.

I nodded.

"You agreed to this?" she asked incredulously.

"Yes, I needed her protection and a connection to her. I'm a changeling, I think, but I don't know what kind." I stepped back towards Morena. I jumped when I felt her hand on my shoulder.

Lena walked closer to me and I stepped back again, bumping into Morena. I wasn't sure if I could trust her regardless if she was Morena's mother or not. She kept coming and as she came closer I could feel something rolling off of her and brushing my skin. The feeling intensified and I could feel it all over my body.

I let out a squeak of surprise and tried to step backwards. Again I hit Morena and when I realized I couldn't move back any more I went rigid. The feeling was wrong she was invading my energy. I felt a tremor starting at my legs.

I could feel her magic going through me now like sharp little needles all over my skin. I faced Morena and huddled close. The pain intensified, I rested my chin on her shoulder and whimpered. Morena wrapped her arms around me and made comforting shushing sounds.

"Mom stop, you're hurting her." The pain stopped abruptly, but I didn't turn to face her.

Lena sighed behind me. "Come inside you two. I'll make you some hot cocoa."

I heard the door to the house open and close. When I knew Lena was gone I stepped away from Morena. I was her familiar, but she had never inflicted pain on me before. She was safe, my protector even. I followed Morena quietly and we entered a cozy kitchen. A thick grey rug covered the floor and beige wallpaper covered the walls. The actual kitchen with the stove, fridge and cabinets occupied the backside of the rectangular room with a wood topped island in the middle.

A square table that looked like it had been carved by hand sat on the other side of the kitchen with four chairs. I pulled my chair close to Morena and regarded her mother with suspicion as she bustled around the kitchen making us hot cocoa.

When the cocoa was done it was placed in front of me. I wouldn't touch it. Lena sat down on the other side of the table and studied my face. Her gaze dropped down to my cup of untouched cocoa. I reached out tentatively for the cup and took a sip. The hot liquid ran down my throat and warmed up every inch of my body. I let out a contented sigh and then drained the rest.

Lena gave me an approving smile and then refilled my mug.

"I'm Lena Claremont, call me Lena. While I have my opinions about my daughter's ethics I will give her the benefit of the doubt and allow you to tell your story." She gave me a soft smile before continuing. "I'm sorry if I scared you out there, I was trying to figure out just what you were."

"And?" I said with a touch of hope in my voice.

She ignored my question. "How old are you Rebecca?" Lena asked.

"Sixteen almost seventeen." She grimaced at my reply.

"And just how did my daughter capture you?"

I looked to Morena first. She gave me a wry smile. "Go on. You've never been shy before."

"I was walking through the woods a few weeks back. I wanted to go to my spot to sketch, but there was already of set of footsteps there. When I walked in further there was all this grey blue matter floating around. It was a trap. The little particles kept getting stuck on me and then I couldn't breathe. I called out for help and Morena came. She promised to save me if I promised to pay the price."

"Morena!" Her mother said in outrage.

"Let me continue. So I became her familiar because there was nothing else she could use. Apparently she was too powerful for a cat." The last line was said sarcastically. "Later on we discovered that I was not human and well… she promised to protect me. I even have the Mistress's protection now. And then Morena got stabbed while she was in the process of trying to save me. What Morena did was stupid, but I need her now."

Lena stood up and wrapped her arms around her daughter. I was right. Morena was cuddled too much as a child. It explains why she's so happy-go-lucky and all touchy feely. Lena surprised me by giving me a kiss on the cheek.

"We're practically family," she explained.

"Truer than you know," I added giving a sly look to Morena. If her budding romance with my father worked out who knows what could happen.

Morena blushed.

"Am I missing something," Lena asked looking from me to Morena.

Morena stood up so up abruptly causing the table to shake. "Why don't I show Rebecca to her room?" She pushed me forward and steered me down the hall and up a flight of stairs with her mother following close behind with our bags.

"So you're not going to tell your mother about how my father nursed you back to health and fed you waffles. Oh and what about that kiss this morning?"

"Kiss? What kiss," Lena asked in genuine surprise. "Morena, who is she talking about. Are you finally seeing someone again?"

Morena put her hand on the crystal knob of a solid mahogany door. The room was beautiful. The walls were painted a butter cream yellow and were decorated with pictures of daisies and lavender. There was a bathroom I could see to the left of the room and a view of the forest on the right side. The bed sat in the middle of a grey lavender rug and a desk and sat against the wall in front of the bed. There were various shelves and bookcases around the room full of albums, knickknacks and other personalized items.

I took my bag from a smiling Lena and unzipped it. I pushed aside and pulled out the stuffed teddy my mother and father had given me for my first Christmas. I sat Indian style on the bed with my teddy in lap and watched the two."

A perfectly arched eyebrow rose on Lena's face. "Well Morena?"

"She's going on a date with my dad when we get back," I informed Lena. "He kissed her this morning before we left and she couldn't stop smiling."

"Ah, so you do have a new man in your life," Lena began.

"Mom," Morena warned.

Lena placed her hands on her hips and continued to interrogate her daughter. "Were you ever going to tell me?"

"We just met mom."

"Is he handsome?"

I rolled my eyes as I saw that goofy smile grace her lips once more.

"And his name is?"

"Rick Rowan," she answered.

"And you're his daughter?" I nodded and she broke out into a grin. "Oh, I already have a future granddaughter."

This family was way too emotional. First she wants to sever my tie to Morena and now she's calling me her future granddaughter. Well I suppose they wouldn't be all that bad, for family I mean. But this was wishful thinking. Nothing had happened between my father and Morena. Yet.

"I'm always telling her that she should settle down with a nice man," her mother whispered to me.

Morena gave us a tolerant look. "I'll tell you about him later, okay? I'm feeling a little tired. I think I'll go lie down."

Lena nodded and gave her daughter a sympathetic look. I on the other hand was prepared for a migraine, so I reached into my bag and pulled out a bottle of Tylenol.

"Here," I said handing it to her.

She took two pills out and swallowed them without water.

They left me alone to rest and I thought that was a marvelous idea. I drew back the heavy purple drapes and slipped into some sweatpants before crawling under the thick down comforter. My dreams consisted of various images from Morena's memory, events from the past week and a familiar song.

In my dream I could even hear the words.

"My sweet baby, my sun and my sky,

My sweet child, don't ever cry.

My sweet girl, my entire world,

My sweet child, don't ever cry. . .

Then I heard her say again,

"Goodbye my daughter."

I woke up with a start. This was the second time I had heard my mother's voice, my real mother. It was so familiar. I heard somewhere that a baby never forgets it's mother's voice even if they have only been together for a day. If she came for me would I recognize her right away?

It was dark outside and I didn't need to open the drapes to see that. I stepped out of my room and into a shadowed hall. The rug beneath my feet was well worn and I could feel the hardness of the wood beneath. I peeked into the room next to mine. It was dark, but the windows had been left uncovered. I could make out the faint outline of Morena's body under the covers. I closed the door and tip toed down the stairs and into a living room of sorts. A grey blue sofa sat in front on a brick fireplace, with two matching armchair at its sides.

The fire burning on the logs was the only source of light in the room. It was warm and comfortable here, so I settled down on armchair and wrapped the knitted blanket that had been resting on the seat around me. I realized I was beginning to doze off when the sound of footstep jolted me awake.

I looked up to see Lena with two cups of cocoa in her hands. She handed me a mug and I could see quite a few mini marshmallows floating around in the hot liquid.

"Thank you."

She nodded and took the armchair across from me. For a while we sat in silence enjoying each others company. But I had a feeling that Lena knew what I was. I didn't want to come right out and ask, but I had to know. I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

Lena chuckled. "Do you have something you want to say?"

I nodded. "Do you…do you know what I am?"

She was silent for a while; a thoughtful look crossed her face. "Today when I searched you I noticed something. A spell was covering you, masking you. It's almost impossible to notice. First because you seem very human, so no one would have tried before and second because the magic is so subtle. It's not a magic I encounter on a regular basis. It's a powerful thing that has kept your true identity hidden since birth."

She was starting to confuse me. I wasn't sure what she was talking about and what this had to do with what I was.

"I had to search very hard to even glimpse at what was behind that barrier. That's why it hurt so much. I am sorry for that."

I remembered the sensation of sharp needles, but forgave her anyways.

"I'm not sure I understand."

"It's glamour," she said. "Glamour is an illusionary magic. It tricks the viewer into seeing what that person wants you to see." She touched her hair. "For instance I could use glamour to make you think that my hair was blonde. You would see blonde hair, but in reality it would still black. Only the glamour user would be able to see their true appearance. Now that is just a natural ability for most of your kind, but the glamour that was used on you is not an ability, but a spell. You're appearance is just an illusion. You're true appearance has been hidden from both you and everyone around you."

"Do you mean that I don't really look like this at all, it's just what a human disguise?" I sounded upset even to myself.

She stood and walked over to me. "I could get Morena if you'd like?"

"No let her rest, she's been in a lot of pain this last week. She just needs to get better. Go on tell me what I am."

"I think you're a fae or a faery. That is the only species that comes to mind when I think of glamour, but of course we will have to break through the glamour to see what you really are."

I set the cocoa down on the coffee table in front of me.

I started to laugh. The whole thing sounded ridiculous. "Feary? You think I'm a faery?"

When she didn't laugh I stopped and cleared my throat. "So what is a faery exactly?"

"Magical creatures with the ability to control the elements. Some say they live in untouched forests, other say in another world, another dimension. Whichever it is they are still a whole other civilization with a different government and people. They're supposed to be fairly medieval. Castles, kings and queens. Most have the ability to glamour to disguise themselves as humans and slip in and out of our world. They have a fascinating society really."

"So I belong to them?"

"You are a changeling and who ever has placed you here has taken great lengths to keep you hidden. Glamour wears off over time. This is a strong spell. I won't be able to break it myself. When Morena gets up we'll break it together."

She looked at my hunched over form and all of her features softened.

"Don't be afraid."


	12. Breaking Illusion

**Ch 12 Breaking Illusion **

I was pacing in my room waiting for Morena to wake up while Lena made dinner. I could smell the mouth-watering scent of turkey wafting upstairs and into my room. She asked if I wanted to help her cook, but I was still in shock after she gave me that news.

I was a faery. I was a faery and I supposedly had magical powers. It sounded completely ridiculous of course, but somehow I didn't think Lena was one to play games. It was no joke. And then there was the glamour thing. I wondered what I really looked like. Would my dad even recognize me?

I heard a door open and shut in the upstairs. She must be up. I peeked out into the hallway to see Morena stretching and yawning. She was wearing one of my father's oversized t-shirts.

I walked up to her silently. One look at my face and she knew what had happened.

"She told you, didn't she?"

I nodded.

"Oh, sweetie." I could see the oncoming hug and ducked away from her arms. She frowned.

"Let's go eat," I said.

"Okay, I'll meet you down there. I'm going to put on something more appropriate for dinner."

I nodded and headed to the kitchen. When I arrived Lena was just setting the table. I took the plates from her silently and finished the job. The concern was written clearly in her grey eyes. She was just like her daughter; her face was so expressive.

"So we'll break the glamour spell after dinner," I asked in a voice devoid of emotion.

"We can wait, until tomorrow," Lena suggested.

"No, tonight."

She said nothing, but looked past my shoulder instead. I turned to see Morena, fully clothed this time. She was wearing jeans for the first time since I've met her and a white blouse.

"How are you feeling," her mother asked her.

"Much better," Morena replied.

Dinner was delicious, but silent. Every time I looked down at my plate I could feel the weight of their gazes on me. I wished they would stop doing that.

"We will perform the spell in two hours," Lena said after dinner. "I need time to prepare and go over a few things."

She finished clearing the table and then took me by the arm and led me to another room. From the looks of the room, it was a library of sorts. The room was lined with shelves, but not all of them held books. Some held what I assumed to be spelling supplies. There were herbs, and crystals, small ornate knives, silk bags and other things I could not identify. In two of the corners of the room sat plush purple velvet armchairs.

Lena stepped towards a shelf and pulled out a small leather-bound book. She handed it to me, before going to another shelf and taking out another book. This one was skinny with few pages, and upon opening it I discovered that it was mostly illustrations. The books were, of course, all about faeries.

"Thanks."

"No problem honey. Now you just sit here and read."

I nodded and then she left. I picked up the book of illustrations and settled myself in one of those comfy chairs.

Time to learn about faeries. Well they didn't have wings and they weren't five inches tall like Tinkerbell, but they were petite and pale. When I was satisfied with the book I opened the other leather bound book. I flipped through it skimming some sections, but not entirely focused. One of the scant illustrations in the book stuck out and took a moment to look at the small crown. I read the caption under it.

_Royal Birthmark: Characteristic of all direct descendents of the throne_.

After flipping through a few more pages I gave up and set the books aside. I could read them later.

I made a quiet exit and crept up the stairs. I wasn't exactly sneaking around, but I wasn't sure if Lena wanted me wondering around the house. I had planned on heading to my room, but I heard Morena's voice in her room. I walked over to her door and listened.

"She's fine. A little scared, but fine." She was talking to my father. It had to be him.

There was a long pause. I assumed my dad was talking.

"Yes, Crome. They're witches." A pause. "Yes during that time she was taken." Another pause. "I'm afraid there really isn't anything we can do about that without sounding like lunatics."

A long pause.

"I think that's every thing. It's a lot to digest, I know. If you want to cancel that dinner… I mean, you know everything now… I would understand." I could hear her holding her breath. "You still want to? That's great!" I could practically see her goofy grin. "I promise. I'll take care of her. Bye."

The phone clicked off and she sighed a happy, contented sigh.

So now my dad knows everything. Well she probably skimped on the details about her familiar trap.

I was about to leave, but then I heard her dialing the phone again. Every time she pushed a button a little beep floated out of the device.

"Just checking in Mistress." Abrupt pause. "Oh my mom called you already," she said and then added quietly, "Not surprisingly."

I'm pretty sure Amelia heard that loud and clear with her vampire hearing.

"She's fine. Yes' I'm fine too. Okay goodbye."

The phone clicked off. I heard movement from within and I scurried away from the door, which was the right move because Morena stepped out a few seconds after. She raised her eyebrows in suspicion when she spotted me, but didn't say anything. She walked past me and towards the stairs with a tight lipped smile gracing her face. I followed after her. She led me down the stairs through the living room and back towards the kitchen. She shrugged on a coat that had been hanging on rack near the front door. I put mine on too and was about to follow her outside when she stopped abruptly and I collided with her back.

Her mouth was set in an unhappy straight line, but her grey eyes sparkled with amusement. "We're not ready for you yet. Go back in."

"I'm tired of waiting."

"You're scared and you're nervous and you're impatient. I understand, but you just have to hold on for a little while longer."

I scowled at her and she smiled an infuriating little smile and then began to move her lips on a silent spell. "Just relax."

Oh, I remember what happened last time she said that. I quickly put my hand over her mouth to silence her.

"Don't," I told her. I moved my hand back slowly. Her expressive grey eyes were full of sympathy. That bothered me somehow and I turned away from Morena and retreated back into the house.

Two hours later Lena came back to bring me out. I donned my coat again and followed Lena silently. She was silent and tranquil. She did not shiver when we stepped outside. I did.

"I work best outside with the elements," she said.

I nodded.

In the snow a circle had been drawn on the ground, about five feet across. There were five clusters of tea light candles around outer edge and clusters of crystals and some sort of leafy plant around the inner edge. Morena was sitting on a stump near the circle reading a large leather-bound book. She looked at me for a brief second, flashing me smile. Lena joined her daughter, pointed to something in the book and then walked back over to me.

I was placed in the middle of the circle and made to wait. I sat down in the snow, not caring for my jeans. If they got wet, so what?

My chattering teeth broke the silence that had come with magic and nightfall. It was starting to snow again and I was freezing. Lena and Morena both looked at me.

"It won't take long," Morena said softly.

They stood and settled themselves around on opposite sides of circle and began to move their lips in a silent spell. One day I would ask them what they were saying, but for now I would just watch. They began to walk clockwise around me and I could feel that prickling sensation that I had felt when Lena when I first arrived. The more they walked the worse it got. My skin became uncomfortable at first and then downright painful.

I squeezed my eyes shut and balled up my fists. They couldn't stop the spell and I didn't want them to. I needed to know what I was, who I was. The fact that I had been virtually been living a lie my whole life was unsettling. The truth would set me free. Right?

They started to circle counterclockwise and I experienced a new type of pain. It felt like my flesh was peeling away, but when I touched my face the skin was still intact. But still, it was excruciating. I screamed and they faltered for a moment before continuing. They would give me no relief. The pain intensified. It was too much to handle.

My eyes rolled back into my head and my body started to twitch.

"Stop, stop." I whispered the words.

They must have not heard me.

The pain intensified again, tenfold. I couldn't stop the screams from coming this time. My vision was going spotty, a good sign that I was going to pass out. I welcomed the blessed darkness, but as I closed my eyes I could see another open her eyes. Somewhere far away a woman sat straight up in her bed with her red hair a mess and her skin flushed. She whispered one thing.

"Shazera."

When I opened my eyes again it was dark and cold. I hadn't moved at all. I was still in the circle and Morena and Lena were still making their way around. Nothing had changed, so I closed my eyes.

A few moments later I heard them stop.

I could hear them whispering and it grew louder and louder as they approached my sprawled out form.

"Is she…conscious?" I heard Morena say.

"I don't think so," Lena said. "Just as well, she was in so much pain."

"We should have stopped."

"Pick her up."

I felt arms reach under me and lift me up. Morena cradled me in her arms and I could feel us moving (Inside hopefully).

"She's so small mom."

Small? Last I checked I was average height.

"And pale," Lena added.

"Look at that hair. It's like fire."

This must be the new me, the real me.

"She's beautiful," Morena said.

We moved inside. It was much warmer and I choose this time to open my eyes. It was blindingly bright so I was forced to close my eyes. I tried again, slowly this time. Morena's face was the first thing I saw.

"Look who's up."

"Hi Morena," I croaked. I cleared my throated. "Hi Lena."

"Hello sweetheart. Do you want to see yourself," she asked gently.

"Yes. Can you put me down?"

Lena led the way to the small bathroom on the first floor. She flicked the light switch on to reveal powder blue walls with matching towels and sink accessories. Before the sink, mounted on the wall, was a large oval shaped mirror. I saw Morena, Lena and another girl.

The other girl was small, petite, and delicate. She stood at five feet, maybe even less. Her skin was so pale, so pure it was like porcelain Her shoulder length hair was red, not the orangey-red you usually see, but an actual red. Her face was heart shaped and just as delicate as the rest of her. Her lips were small, pink and frowning and she had an elegant looking ski slop nose. Her eyes were such a dark green that they were almost emerald.

Her face scrunched in confusion at the same time mine had. It occurred to me then that she was wearing the same coat as I was, only it was two sizes too big.

Wait. That girl…she's me.

I brought a small pale hand up to my face. Oh god, it was me. I didn't think I would change this much. Maybe hair and eye color, but this was not even me. Why, I couldn't even fit into my clothes anymore. I had shrunk to just under five feet. My jeans were soaking wet and clinging to me. I knew the moisture was the only thing keeping my pants up. They were baggy and too long now.

I looked at the mirror again and then promptly left. The girl was ethereal and beautiful, but she wasn't me. I had had enough. I'm done with the magic, with the vampires, the witches and most of all the changelings and faeries.

I burned a path through the living room and headed towards the kitchen. My car was outside and I was leaving. I would go home to the warm, familiar arms of my father.

Heavy footsteps followed after me. Lena rushed to the front door, obstructing the exit, and Morena stood at my back with her hands resting on my shoulders.

Morena spoke for the both of them. "Where do you think you're going love?"

"I'm going home and there's nothing you can do to stop me." I shook of her hands and stepped closer towards the front door. Lena crossed her arms and gave me a wry smile. She should have been more concerned. I was serious about leaving.

"Get out of my way Lena," I growled.

"Rebecca!" Morena said in outrage.

Lena stood her ground. I tried to pull her away from the door, but the action was rendered laughable on the account of my diminished size. I could feel anger building up inside me, blowing around my soul like a strong wind.

"Move!" I yelled this time, but she wouldn't budge. I threw my arms out and put everything I had in me into that push. My hands never made contact with any part of Lena, but she fell to the ground still. A wind had carried her to her current position, a wind I had created. My now green eyes widened in shock.

I rushed out the door and caught Morena from the corner of my eye helping her mother up. I made a beeline to my car.

"Rebecca Rowan, my familiar, you turn around right now!" Morena bellowed behind me.

To my surprise I did turn around, though I can assure you it was not of my own accord.

"Good girl. Come back inside now."

My feet began to move without my permission. I desperately tried to stop my self, but to no avail. It was frightening not being in control of my own body. I stopped just before the steps leading to the front door.

"Morena?"

She said nothing.

This is what she meant by her having control over me. She could just order me around. She promised wouldn't.

She closed the door once I was safely inside and settled her intense grey eyes on me. Lena stood behind her and gave me an identical look. I was exhausted, furious, and embarrassed. Everything that had happened to day was crashing down on me. Morena's memory, the faeries, the painful spell, my transformation and now this botched escape attempt. There's only so much a girl can take. A few weeks ago I was the daughter of an artist. Now the artist wasn't even my real father.

"Sorry," I said. "But in my defense Morena did just use her familiar control over me." I looked at Lena. "You should probably punish her or something, just to be fair."

Morena was the first to smile, which was a more natural expression on her face anyways, and then Lena followed. I sighed internally. Maybe now I wasn't in too much trouble.

"You were being irrational. It wasn't safe for you to leave," Morena explained. "I guess I broke my promise. I used my control over you. It won't happen again." She held up a hand. "Witch's honor."

I sneezed, once, twice, three times. I was going to get a wicked cold.

"We should get you out of those wet clothes," Lena said.

"I'm sorry I pushed you." I stopped and added. "I'm not sure how I did it, but I am sincerely sorry."

We talked as we walked up stairs.

"Your power maybe," Lena mused. I've read that faeries have control over the elements. Air must be yours. That would have been an impressive display of power if it hadn't been aimed directly at me."

"Sorry times infinity." I hoped that would cover everything. I opened the door to my room, but the witches barged in ahead of me.

"Apologies accepted times infinity," Lena replied with a chuckle.

Lena turned down my bed while Morena rummaged through my luggage. She pulled out my pajamas and tossed them to me.

"Can we go home tomorrow?" I directed the question towards Morena.

"It would be safer if we stayed a few days first. Rebecca we just got here and on top of that we just broke through a major glamour spell."

"Should that mean something to me?"

"Well no, but it means that the person who cast the spell will know that it was broken." That explains what I saw before I passed out. That woman must have felt the spell being broken. That or I was just hallucinating. "And that means you are in imminent danger. The spellcaster may come after you and not to mention the Crome Coven and every other creature that wants to get their hands on a faery."

"Morena, please. We can work something out with the Mistress. I'm sure her protection plan covers this." My voice sounded whiny and desperate. I hoped that worked in my favor.

She sighed and pulled the bottle of Tylenol out of my duffle bag.

"Migraine," I asked.

She nodded and swallowed two pills dry. When she was done she looked back at me.

"One more day." She stopped and ran her hand over her face. It was a bad migraine. "One more day and you better be on your best behavior."

"Sounds reasonable." And it was.


	13. Dream A Little Dream

**13 Dream a little dream **

I was running down an endless hall. My footsteps echoed through the passage, but nothing else could be heard. No one was chasing me, so why was I running? When I realized this I stopped. Now why was I running again?

"Come." The whispered words floated through the air.

I remembered then, that I was trying to find the owner of that voice. I proceeded with caution, watching the walls around me with suspicion. It was dark in the hall with tall windows to let in the moonlight. The windows stretched to the ceiling and were stationed together in pairs. Up ahead I could see a figure shrouded in shadows. As I came closer I realized the figure was Mrs. Crome. She turned to me with a worried expression on her face.

"Have you seen my sweet little Sarah? I can't find her."

"No, I'm sorry I haven't."

She stepped closer to me and grabbed my wrists. "What a sad thing you are. Poor motherless Rebecca."

I yanked my hands away from her and sprinted further down the hall and ran into Lena. "Have you seen Morena?" She called out. She was wearing a midnight blue cloak and regarded me with sad eyes. "Poor motherless Rebecca."

I ran away from her too. What was wrong with them? I didn't need people to remind me. Especially them. Mothers telling me that I'm motherless.

I ran and I ran, but the hall just didn't end and there were no doors that led to other places. Again I saw something up ahead, but this time there were two figures. One was Morena. The other was Sarah.

"Have you seen…" Sarah started to ask.

I cut her off. "Yes, they're back there. I gestured with my thumb. "And don't tell me I'm motherless."

Morena reached out and put her arm around my shoulders. "Of course you're not motherless," she said. "Sweetie she's waiting for you down the hall."

"My mother?"

"Uh-huh," Morena answered.

"She's been waiting for you for a long time," Sarah said. "Go on, go!"

And I did. I was running again, running and not getting tired. This time I ran into the Mistress. Her clear blue eyes bore into my own and she held her head up high so that she was looking down at me. She was cool and regal as always. She came to stand behind me, which immediately sent my blood pressure soaring. One arm went around my waist, the other rested on my shoulder.

"I'm looking for my mother," I told her.

"I know. Your mother has passed on the most curious thing to you, my dear." Her cold fingers ripped the through the fabric of my shirt covering my right shoulder. Chilly air hit the exposed area. I shivered.

Her lips pressed a kiss against my skin. She seemed fixated with my shoulder. Was there something on it? Her fingers caressed the area she had kissed. The vampire did not respect boundaries, but then again this was not over stepping boundaries for her. Seduction was in her nature, no matter the kind of prey.

"Be brave," she whispered before letting go. I didn't look back, I didn't want to, because the hall suddenly ended and a door appeared. It was dark mahogany decorated with an intricate carved pattern of vines and flowers. I grabbed the handle. It was scorching hot. My hand burned, but I opened the door anyways. My mother was in there, right?

Inside was completely empty, just a floor of white marble and walls of cream. There was a pair of tall windows in the back letting in the pale moonlight and a slender woman looking out of them. Her back was turned away from me, but I could see a satin amber gown.

The skirt flowed past her ankles leading to a small train. A wide chocolate brown ribbon tied in a bow at her lower back. The bodice of the dress was also laced up with ribbon of the same color. There were also small flourishes, like wind patterns embroidered with brown and tan beads on the bodice. The hair was the same fiery red as mine, put up into some winding, complicated hairstyle. It was elegant and sophisticated.

This was my mother?

She was a faery. This was evident by her small size. Somehow I hadn't pictured her like this.

"Hello," I said.

If she noticed me, she didn't let up.

"Mother," I said hesitantly.

She looked back at me quickly. Her face. I remembered that face. During the spell, I had passed out and she was the woman I saw, the startled woman with my fiery red hair. I wanted to talk to her. I had so many questions for the woman who had just turned my life upside down.

I waited for her to speak and when she didn't I stepped closer to her, until I was at her side.

"Mom?" I waited a few minutes for a reaction, anything really.

She didn't speak, didn't move. She wouldn't look at me. Somehow this hurt. She didn't want me. I felt tears trailing down my cheeks and a strangled sob escaped my throat. She turned finally with a pained expression marring her lovely face, her face so like mine. I was a spiting image of her. The only difference was that I had more freckles and was shorter by several inches.

She held out her arms for me, but I stepped back. She stepped forward and reached out to brush tears off my face.

"My darling, my baby, my little Shazera," she said.

She quickly tucked me into her arms and pressed a kiss onto the top of my head. I recognized her voice. It was that familiar voice. The one that had sung to me and said goodbye. This really was my mother.

"I missed you," she whispered into my hair. This only made me cry more.

Then the entire room started to shake.

"Rebecca, Rebecca!"

I awoke, springing up into a sitting position with tears streaming down my face. I cried out, "Mother," before realizing it was a dream.

Morena was sitting on the bed next to trying to calm me down. She opened her arms for me, but that gesture reminded me too much of the dream. I hugged my knees to myself instead.

"You were having a nightmare?" She asked.

I wiped my face before turning to look at her. She was sleeping in one of my father's shirts. I briefly wondered how many she had taken with her.

"I was having a really good dream. I'm sorry I woke you up."

"Oh." I could see the surprise on her face. "I just thought…" She trailed off. She gazed off distractedly, shifting her eyes around the room. She looked troubled, almost haunted.

"Do you want to talk for a little?" I asked. "We're you having a bad dream?"

She nodded. "It was about the day my dad died." She wrapped her arms around herself. "I'm a witch, I know it, but I can't help thinking about you. I made you my familiar on an impulse, a very bad impulse. I just wanted to have more energy, more power. It was wrong."

"Power tempts everyone, good or bad. For protecting me, for caring and loving others you are good."

She nodded, but the haunted look in her eyes didn't go away. I moved over and pulled back the covers.

"You can sleep here tonight…if you want."

She slipped under the covers wordlessly and lay facing me.

"Can I tell you a secret?" I whispered.

She smiled at my childish question, but said, "Yes".

"I think everything is going to be okay."

She smiled and then yawned. "Sure, honey." She yawned again. She was drifting off.

"Night, Morena."

No answer. I was glad for the strange dream and the comfort my dream biological mother offered me. I was thankful for this small bit of optimism. I only wish I could have done something for Morena.


	14. Marked

**Chapter 14 Marked**

"Concentrate," Lena said sternly. She sighed. "Try again."

We were trying practicing controlling the air. It was my element, (or a least that's what Lena and Morena says) but I just couldn't do it again. When I had done it the first time to push Lena out of the way, it had been easy. Now…well it's not so easy.

I was standing in the kitchen in front of the wood table. Lena, who was standing behind me, had placed the bright red head of a carnation on the table for me to try and move.

I focused on the flower and willed the air to move it. Still nothing.

"I can't do it."

"Yes, you can," she urged.

We had been at this all morning. It wasn't my idea, but Lena thought it might be a good way to pass the time. I was stupid enough to agree. Truthfully, my heart hadn't been in it. I was still thinking about my dream last night. The last half of it, the part with my birthmother had seemed so real. I wondered if it really was a dream or if it was something else. Also, I had yet to check my shoulder. Dream Amelia had seemed so adamant about there being something there.

"I give up." As I said this Morena walked in. The corners of her mouth twitched as she watched the standoff between her mother and me.

"Rebecca, love, why don't you go call your father. He's probably missing you right about now."

I mouthed the words 'thank you' to her and then left to find my cell phone.

I could hear an argument starting behind me. I was just glad to get out of there. I liked Lena, but she could be intense sometimes.

Once I found my phone, I dialed my dad's number. It rang three times and then he picked up.

"Rebecca!" He had caller ID.

"Hey, dad."

"I missed you kiddo. I can't wait to see you tomorrow." Oh, I guess he already spoke to Morena. He paused before continuing. "I've heard you're coming back home a little different."

"Dad, it's more than different. I'm completely changed and I'm half a foot shorter."

He chuckled at the distress over my height.

"It's not funny dad!"

"I know, honey. I don't care what you look like. I love you anyways."

"Even if I'm not really yours? I mean you're not my biological dad."

"It doesn't matter. You're my little girl and you'll always be my little girl."

I was relieved that he had verbalized that. I know he'll always love me, but hearing it makes me feel so much better. We talked for an hour more. I told him everything that had gone on these last few weeks, even though Morena probably already told him. So he knows I'm a not his and my mother's biological daughter. He knows that I'm a faery. He knows about witches and about the Mistress and the protection she has extended to me. And I conversely have learned that he's crazy about Morena, that she has the cutest laugh and is fun to talk to. That stuff I didn't care to hear about. He was also extremely worried about me.

I set my cell phone down when I was finished. Now that I was alone I could finally get a good look at my shoulder. I moved into the bathroom and peeled off the first two layers of clothes, stripping down to my white tank top. I pushed the thin strap off my shoulder and turned around. Behind me in the mirror I could make out a faint pink mark on my shoulder. After moving closer to the mirror I could see the outline of what seemed to be a crown.

A crown? Why does that seem so familiar? Then it hit me. I was marked as faery royalty. This was the royal birthmark. I threw on my shirt and sweater and rushed out of the bathroom to the library to find the book that had the picture of the mark in it.

With the book in my hands, I confirmed that I did indeed have the birthmark.

I snapped the book shut.

"As if this wasn't hard enough."

Morena popped her head in the room when she heard me slam the book.

"Everything all right?" No privacy.

"Yes, everything is fine." I smiled. "Really."

Her grey eyes narrowed in suspicion, but after holding the smile on my face she left.

"That was a close one," I said in relief.

"Yes, that was," grumbled a deep voice form behind.

I spun around to find a tall, lanky man with white hair and genuine purple eyes. Before I could do anything he strode across the room and wrapped an arm around me and then we were gone. Somehow we had moved to another place. It was like Morena's transportation spell only quicker.

I blinked my eyes and then we were here. Here was an old fashioned study with solid oak furniture, evergreen walls paneled with the same oak wood and a large rectangular Persian rug covering the floor.

A woman stood at the window behind the desk facing away from us. She had white hair, like my kidnapper, that reached to her waist. And where my kidnapper was lanky she was tall and willowy. She turned around and I could see her purple eyes set in her delicate features. She was pretty, not beautiful, but pretty with her button nose, heart shaped face and perfectly pink lips.

"Well imagine that," she drawled. "A faery on this side of the lines. I thought you were kidding Jo."

"Of course I was Vi."

I struggled in Jo's grip and yelled out, "What do you want?!"

The woman, Vi (most likely short for Violet), strode over and peered down at me. They were already tall, but thanks to my newly discovered feary heritage, I was even shorter.

"Why are you here?" Vi asked.

"Excuse me?" I really was confused. "You brought me here."

"No, no, you misunderstand. Why are you out of your realm? There hasn't been a faery here since the war and that's over. None of your kind has returned after that, so why have you?"

"War?" I mused aloud. Upon hearing my confusion Jo let go.

"Why are you here," she asked again.

"I have no idea why." I paused. "Why did you bring me here?"

Vi leaned closer to me and now that I was unrestrained I stepped back.

"Do you smell that Jo?" Did I smell bad or something? Jo came closer and got a whiff of me too. His eyes widened in surprise.

"She's a familiar! That explains why she's here."

"What witch has enslaved you," Vi asked.

"I owed her a favor." I was getting tired of having to tell this story over and over again.

Jo let out a short huff of laughter. "You let a witch take you across and keep you as her exotic little pet?"

"I am not her pet!" Weren't we getting off topic? "Now, what do you want?"

"Blood," Vi said simply, capturing my wrist in her slender, pale hand. "Just a little for a potion and then a little more tomorrow and then next day and so on. Welcome to your new home."

New mom, new dad, new look and now new home? Like I was going to let that happen. I silently prayed Morena would find me. We had a connection. Right? I called for her in my head. Only what happened next happened without the help of Morena.

It was like a vision or a dream. On the ground I saw a florescent blue circle surrounding me.

"Hey, What's wrong with you?" Vi asked. Apparently they didn't see the weird circle. When I looked down again I noticed strange symbols that looked like wind currents on the outside edge of the circle. Without thinking I bent down and traced the circle along with the strange lines with my fingers.

"Vi! Look what she's doing."

Now they could see the blue lines. As soon as I finished drawing the last wind symbol a tunnel of wind surrounded me. It didn't touch me but I could feel it raging inside of me. In my mind I expanded the tunnel and the wind obeyed me. The violent currents threw Jo and Vi across the room in one quick motion. They hit the walls with a solid thud before tumbling to the ground.

Then I felt the room go fuzzy. I knew this feeling and the spell that went with it. Morena had heard my plea for help. The often-used transportation spell took me away from my kidnappers and dumped me on the floor of Lena's kitchen.

"Welcome back," Lena said.

I looked up to see two sets of quizzical grey eyes looking at me. I realized at that moment that they probably didn't realize that I had been kidnapped. I mean I had probably only been gone for fifteen minutes.

"Where did you go love?" Morena asked.

"They had…" I tried to catch my breath. "White hair and violet eyes."

"Demons!" Lena exclaimed. "In my house! How could we have not noticed?"

"What?" I asked as Morena helped me up from the ground and guided me to a chair at the kitchen table.

"Tell us what happened Rebecca," Lena prompted. And so I did. I told them all about Jo and Vi and the fluorescent circle and the wind tunnel. And in return they told me that I had been captured by demons, minor ones, but demons all the same.

"What about the circle thing?" I asked.

Lena stood from the table and placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder before leaving the room.

"She's going to call the Mistress," Morena explained. "That circle was a bit of faery magic, an expansion on your control over the wind. As for how you knew to do it, I have no idea."

I traced small circles onto the wood surface of the table. "I think someone showed me. The lines and symbols just appeared on the floor. All I did was trace them. The demons didn't even see the lines. What happens now?"

"Everyone and every demon will know now. Warlocks and maybe even vampires will be after you. Faery blood is very useful in spells and potions and of course your magic is impressive. We'll go to Amelia's immediately and hide you there for a while. She can give you the protection you need. I'm so sorry we didn't notice that you were gone."

"But you brought me back here. You saved me."

"I heard you call for me," she said. "Thank goodness the connection works." She reached over and stilled my hand. "I'm so glad you're okay." She paused. "Why don't you go pack? We're leaving soon."

I nodded my head and went upstairs. The reality of the situation hit me in my room and I had to stop. I had been kidnapped by demons. I could have gotten hurt, or worse. I could have gotten killed. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, and another and then another, until finally I had everything under control.

I unzipped my duffel bad and threw whatever was mine into it as quickly as I could. We are leaving soon after all.


End file.
